Too Many Strings Attached
by 1000GreenSun
Summary: Blossom Utonium and Brick Jojo can't seem to get along at work and after an intoxicated night together, their lives take a irrevocable turn. But between all the drama, heartbreak and pregnancy hormones, they never thought it possible to fall in love. Reds
1. Conception

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything!**  
**

**Author's Note:** Kayso, Brick/Blossom is totally my new favorite pairing! Goshh, I LOVE these two! So, expect lots of it! ...Yes, this is another one of those cliched Blossom-gets-knocked-up-by-Brick fics. Just wanted to get that out of the way. This will told from Blossom's POV, by the way.

Oh, keep in mind this is kinda (really) AU. They were never Powerpuffs or Rowdyruffs or anything. Just regular ol' folk.

Well, I do hope you enjoy this!

…

How did my sisters manage to rope me into something crazy like this? They know I don't like this kinda stuff, but still- Wait, I should probably back up...

I'm Blossom. Blossom Utonium, that is. I'm 5'8", 125 pounds, 24 years old, Type O positive- Oh, and I'm single. I've been single for a while. Not that it matters, really. I've been super busy with work, in fact- work's my life. I'm the head surgeon at the city's largest hospital and I've got a lot of duties. I know, most people don't believe me when I tell them that. I normally get 'You're way too young!' or 'You're kidding, right?'. I'm not kidding. I finished high school when I was still a kid and college not long after. Med school was a breeze and I've been a practicing surgeon for years. I love my job. I love the patients and I love helping them and making people better. I love everything about my job! ...Except those pesky lawyers who keep trying to sue me, that is.

The point it... Sometimes, I get really wrapped up in work... And... My sisters are convinced to put a stop to it.

My sisters are always butting into my life, trying to set me up with someone or take me out (with the intention of getting set up with someone!). It's really tiring. I don't know why I go through with their little whims, but they are my sisters and I _know_ they care about me as much as I care about them... I really do love them.

Which brings us back to the current situation...

I looked in the mirror, furrowing my eyebrows as I place the pins perfectly in the bun I'm forming out of my auburn locks. After I pushed the last one place, I stepped back to admire my hard work. My cute little bun turned out perfectly rounded, a few strands purposely sticking out and complementing my side-brushed bangs. My soft copper hair made my red lips look warmer, the black-lined eyes behind my glasses look bigger. I've always loved my eyes. In fact, some people swear that when the light hits them _just _right, they almost look pink. Pink!

It's funny and I don't mind because in all honesty, pink has always been my favorite color. In fact, I'm wearing it tonight! My sister Buttercup said to dress skimpy (well, those may not have been her _exact _words, per se), so I donned a light pink, floral patterned dress that stopped right at my knees. It had a fairly deep neck that showed a little more cleavage than what I was comfortable with and it had straps that crossed at the back. Red earrings, a single strand of red pearls and matching flats finished off the outfit.

I looked pretty nice, if I could say so, myself!

A knock at my door shook me from my thoughts and I opened it, greeting my sisters as they stepped into my room.

"Aww, you look cute, Blossom!" my blue-eyed blonde sister, Bubbles, exclaimed, "We're so glad you're coming with us tonight!"

"Yeah, one thing, though," my ebony-locked green-eyed sister, Buttercup, said as she looked at me head to toe, "We're going clubbing... Not to church."

"So-" I started, unable to finish my thought.

"That means you're not showing enough skin, sis," Buttercup clarified, raising an eyebrow, "You're changing right now!"

I frowned. This was skimpy enough! "I am not-" Again, my train of thought is interrupted.

"Sis, she's right," Bubbles added, "We're going to have fun! So lighten up!"

I let out the breath of air I didn't realize I was holding, letting my eyes flutter open. Sometimes, it was easier just to give in than to fight (only to give in later after you're exhausted). With a sigh, I said, "Fine. You guys win," a defeated smile coming to my lips.

...

My eyes almost popped out of my head when Bubbles handed me a piece of pink silk fabric. "I'm supposed to _wear _this?" I exclaimed, clearly uncomfortable as I unfolded the dress and held it in the air. A little bigger than I thought, but it was still much too small for my tastes. I shook my head, sending a warning glance to my little sister who grinned, "No!" I reiterated.

"Please, sis? Just try it on!" Bubbles looked at me with her sparkling blue eyes, pushing her upper lip out in an adorable pout. I cringed. I couldn't say no to that.

I frowned and narrowed my eyes as I slipped off the pink floral dress and tossed it aside. I picked up the red silk one and put it on, its soft fabric hitting my skin quite comfortably. I stepped towards the full-length mirror to see my reflection and my eyes widened. The kimono-style dress (if you could call it that, it was more of a top!) went right to my mid-thigh, showcasing my long, milky legs. I bit my lip as I looked at the neckline, which was an enormous V, scooping up my rather large chest. Right below the bust was a magenta sash and I tied it behind my back into a perfect bow. There were flowy sleeves too, with swirls along the sides. If the dress wasn't so small, I would've been quite happy. The red silk with a dash of magenta bordering looked really good with my skin tone and complemented my eyes.

I turned back to Bubbles, pleading, "I don't have to wear this, do I?"

Bubbles raised an eyebrow, "You think you have a choice?" she said lowly. Her face quickly perked, "Omigosh, Bloss! You look so cute! I bet every guy in that club is going to want some!" she giggled. She walked over to me and pulled the pins out of my fiery hair, letting it flow down. She pulled off my glasses and handed me my clear contacts.

Bubbles herself had her hair in gently curls, a few of them pinned back. She had on a tight sky-blue halter top that showed her midriff and a short white miniskirt and blue sandals, along with matching blue bracelets.

Buttercup, who had just entered Bubbles's room, grinned, "Looking nice, Bloss. Here," she said, tossing some magenta pumps to me. Buttercup had her short black hair down and a lime green tee, black leather short-shorts and black boots along with a black choker and green studded belt on her waist. I slipped on the pink pumps she gave me and grinned myself.

"Okay, forget it," I rolled my eyes, talking to myself more than my sisters. I think I deserved a long-needed break. "We are going to have fun tonight! No one's worrying about work, problems or life!" ...Or idiotic lawyers.

_Earlier today..._

_"Dr. Utonium, I think this is for you," my secretary said, stepping into my office with a file. She gave a nervous smile before quickly exiting and I opened the file. My eyes darkened. _

_Are you freaking kidding me? I groaned, my head hitting the back of my chair as I massaged a temple._

_The one thing I could not stand about my job were the lawyers. They were _always _trying to get me for something I didn't do (or in the case of negligence, something I actually did!) and it was exhausting. Sure, I had the best malpractice insurance money could buy, but I hated it when they told me I did my job wrong. I have never screwed up a surgery or hurt a patient, but they're constantly trying to tell me I did or I have. _

_"Ugh," I muttered, pulling out my phone and dialing the number on the file. After a few rings, someone picked up. Quickly, "Is there a... Mr. Jojo there?" I asked, glancing at the business card in the file. _

_"_Speaking. May I ask who's this?_"_

_I smiled tightly as I replied, "Dr. Utonium. You hit me with a malpractice claim about an hour ago?" _

_I could hear him smirk from the other side of the line as he responded, "_Dr. Utonium, please, call me Brick. And about that case, is there anything we need to discuss?" _he asked calmly._

_"No thanks, Mr. Jojo," I turned down his offer. The last thing I wanted was to be on first-name basis with this moron! "And yes, I think we need to discuss the case. Actually, lack of one, considering you have nowhere near substantial evidence against me."_

_"_I would beg to differ on that, Dr. Utonium. It's clearly a case of negligence. Your patient contracted a nosocomial infection from _your _hospital under _your _care. If you had been properly attending the guy, he wouldn't have gotten sicker_," he replied curtly._

_"You can't sue me for negligence for a nosocomial infection! That's ridiculous," I scoffed. _

_"_Mmm, I'm sorry if I don't see if that way. And I'm sorry that the judge won't either_," he smirked. _

_He was infuriating! Ugh, whatever. I had better things to do. "Alright, Mr. Jojo. I'll show up for your ludicrous case. But only because I can't wait to see you lose. I have _never _lost a malpractice case and I don't intend to any time soon."_

_"_That makes two of us. Can't wait to see you in court, _Blossom_," _he whispered my name, probably in a feeble attempt at intimidation. It didn't work. I punched the red button on my touch-screen phone and slammed it down on the desk._

_Idiot._

_(End of Flashback)_

"I can drink to that!" Bubbles giggled at my toast as we stepped out the door.

Buttercup grinned, "I can't wait to get wasted," she added.

I rolled my eyes at my ridiculous, but amazing sisters. I wrapped an arm around each of their shoulders, looking forward to the night ahead of us.

Who knows? Maybe I'll actually have a good time!

...

As soon as we stepped into the club, my sisters were dragged away by some hot guy who wanted to dance. I had gotten a few offers, but I opted to have a few drinks first. So what if Bubbles and Buttercup were out grinding against some Greek god? I could still have fun by myself, y'know. It took a few minutes to used to the loud noises and flashing lights, but I was fine and ready to have a good time.

I shrugged off the guys who had come up to me as I made my way to the bar. I took a seat on one of the spinny cushioned bar stools and propped my elbows up on the counter. I motioned to the bartender, who came over to me rather quickly and asked what I wanted to drink. I pulled out a bill and gave it to him as he handed me my drink. I took a sip out of the pink martini and spun around, eying the dance floor for my sisters. I didn't want them to get into _too_ much trouble. I saw Bubbles with her arms around some tall, sculpted blond and Buttercup rubbing against a buff, tanned black-haired guy. Looks like they were having fun.

I gave a small smile before returning to my drink. It had been a while since I had been with a guy. Ever since my messy break-up with Dexter (this super smart, but ultimately narcissistic and jerk-wad guy), I had thrown myself in work and pushed my love life to the backseat. I spun back to the bartender and ordered a second drink. Bored, I pulled out the cute little umbrella and stabbed in the lemon wedge on the rim of the cup.

Okay, it had been a while since I've had a life. Maybe it was time to change that...?

As if on cue, this deep voice rumbled beside me, "I could think of a dozen other things you could be doing," he said, the smirk on his face obvious in his voice.

I spun around to face him, ready with a biting reply. I opened my mouth to retort, but when my eyes met his, I paused.

He had shaggy red hair that went to neck and playful eyes that looked almost red in the strobe lights. It was easy to tell his was muscular under his black tee shirt and unbuttoned red collared one, dark wash jeans and black vans. He too was propped up against the bar, his legs stretched out casually. His demeanor was calm, collected and absolutely irritating. He raised an eyebrow, waiting for my reply.

"I-I know a dozen you could be doing instead of bothering me," I replied curtly, faltering a little in the beginning. He raised an eyebrow and shrugged, taking a gulp of his alcohol. I saw him looking me up an down and crossed my legs, now completely facing him. "See something you like?" I whispered, leaning in closer, teasing him.

"Maybe," he replied coyly as I pulled back to take another sip. "What's your name?" he asked, interested.

"Why do you want to know?" I asked, not meaning to be such a coquette as I started my third drink.

"Because... Maybe I like what I see," he whispered huskily, leaning closer to me.

"Good. You should," I lowered my voice as I mimicked his gesture, moving closer. "It's Blossom," I said with a small smile.

He leaned back, "Brick," he replied. Now... In hindsight, this should have raised some flags... But in my defense, I was tipsy! And he was super cute! Brick's a pretty common name... Right?

"So, Brick," I started, "What are you doing here? You obviously didn't come to dance," I stated.

"I came here to meet a gorgeous redhead named Blossom," he answered without missing a beat.

"Funny! _I'm _a redhead named Blossom!" I giggled. Okay, that was really stupid... It's not my fault! I was on like my fifth drink! And there was a hot guy flirting with me! Can you blame me?

He raised an eyebrow as he took a gulp of his beer, "And you're gorgeous. What were the chances?"

I flushed. He thinks I'm _gorgeous_? Either I'm way more drunk than I thought OR my night is going way better than I had imagined!

"So, Bloss, what are you doing here? Because you obviously didn't come to dance," he mirrored my earlier statement.

"Wanna bet?" I grinned. Aw, screw it. I wasn't counting how many drinks I had had anymore. He looked confused. "Let's dance," I clarified, grabbing his hand (and missing the first time) to take him to the dance floor. He didn't put up much of a fight as I wobbled over there. He must have been pretty wasted too because I swear he was staggering with me.

When we had squished our way to the floor, I draped my arms around his shoulders and he wrapped his around my waist. My right sleeve had slipped off my shoulder and was hanging off, but I really didn't mind. I swayed my hips to the music as he pressed up against me. I heard him mumble something, but I didn't exactly hear what he said.

"What was that?" I murmured.

"Oh, I just remembered that I need to thank my brothers for dragging me over here," Brick replied softly.

"I didn't want to do anything tonight either, but sisters convinced me," I said quietly. I looked up at him and his warm -I swear they _were_- red eyes, "I should probably thank them later too," I smiled at him. He looked so content and felt so warm, I got the sudden urge to kiss him. I held my breath, not wanting him to realize that, but I think he was feeling the same way too. He looked down at me and cupped my chin with one hand, bringing his lips to my own. It was a sweet (alcohol-soaked) kiss, and I didn't want to pull away, but I needed to breathe.

We continued swaying on the dance floor for a while until I got bored. And I'm sure he was getting bored too. Being pressed up against him wasn't boring, but the dancing (more like standing there moving _just _a little) was.

I grinned, "Brick, let's get out of here." We couldn't go back to my place since Buttercup and Bubbles would probably be there, but-

"My place is just down the road from here," he grinned back.

"Perfect," I grabbed him and kissed him, running my hands through his messy red hair. I deepened the kiss, pulling my hands from his hair down to his neck, across his wide shoulders, down his muscular arms until my hands were in his own. I finally pulled away, panting softly. I'm sure I was flushed. He was just looking at me with a look of awe and lust. "Let's go," I suggested, my voice still husky from the kiss as I dragged him out of the club.

...

My eyelids clenched together, not wanting to open. Clearly, the sun had a different idea, shining its rays all over me. I groaned a little and shifted so that I was laying on my back. I brought my hand to my head, running it on the pillow... The soft, soft pillow that was covered in silk. Wow, I don't remember my sheets being _this _soft! ...Because they _weren't_!

I shot up, hyperventilating. I quickly rubbed the sleep from my eyes as I looked around my surroundings. Stylish black room, deep red bedsheets, naked guy beside me, giant window with an amazing view of downtown Townsville- _Naked guy beside me?_

I looked to the other side of the bed and there he was... He was on his stomach, so I couldn't see much except a headful of unkempt red hair and a chiseled back. I slowed my breathing as I finally took the courage to look at me under the sheet. I flushed. Bits and pieces of the night before began to come back to me and I turned even redder (if that was _possible!_). I gingerly untangled myself from the redhead and stepped out of bed, trying my best not to wake him. The last thing I needed was an awkward confrontation with a hot guy whose name I can't even remember! Ben? Brady? Brock? _Brick! _

I quietly picked up my clothes that was thrown across the room, mumbling swear words to myself in the process. I put on my outfit from the night before and with my pumps in hand (no _way _was I wearing those now!), I slipped out of the room without a sound.

On the way out, I saw two guys passed out on the couch and floor and silently thanked whatever higher power that his friends were knocked out too. I was about to exit the penthouse when I came face to face with a framed certificate. My eyebrows furrowed as I read it, realizing it was a law degree.

Made out to Brick Jojo.

I gasped, grabbing the doorknob and dashing out of the flat. I ran down the hallway and punched the elevator button as I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach.

I had slept with the man who was taking me to court in two months.

Great freaking job, Blossom.

...

**Welp, I hope you liked it! Please leave a review and let me know what you thought! Comments, questions, ideas, suggestions, criticisms? It's all welcome (:**

**More will be on the way!  
**


	2. The First Month

**Disclaimer: **No no no, I do not own anything! **  
**

**Author's Note: **Thanks to all my super cool readers and reviewers and favers! So glad y'all are liking this! C:

Just a note, but there will be a little POV shifting in this chapter. Just one scene though, so I think y'all can do it.

Well, enjoy!

...

I steadied my breathing as I pulled out my keys and shoved one of them into the lock on our apartment door. As it clicked open, I quietly slipped inside the place, tossing my clutch purse on the table and kicking my heels to the side. I softly tiptoed inside, hoping to make it my room before bumping into my sisters.

No such luck.

Buttercup was sprawled on the couch, probably combating a hangover and Bubbles was in the kitchen flipping pancakes. I sighed. I guess I would have to answer their questions about my whereabouts the previous night. As I stepped into the adjoined kitchen and living room, I gave them a quick smile before sitting down at the table.

"Breakfast smells nice, Bubbles," I started awkwardly.

"Thanks!" she giggled. Bubbles was always the best cook. She turned the stove heat on low and faced me, "So, where were you last night?" she asked, her eyes wide in curiosity.

"N-Nowhere," I stuttered. "I was, um, just on a walk..." I added lamely.

"In the same outfit you wore last night?" Buttercup grinned, walking up to the island table and crossing her arms over her chest, "Spill! We want details!"

I swallowed.

"Omigosh, was it that cute redhead you were at the bar with?" Bubbles exclaimed. I flushed. "It totally was!" she squealed. "Congrats, sis."

"I don't even remember most of it to be honest," I rubbed my forehead, "I was _so _drunk," I berated myself. How stupid was I? I had no business going around and flirting and sleeping with random strangers! For all I knew, Brick Jojo could've put two and two together like I did. How awkward would it be facing him in court? It would totally be a conflict of interest. "Ugh," I groaned, hitting my head on the table.

Buttercup softened, "Okay, what happened?" she asked, uncharacteristically gentle. "You don't look so good," she noted, taking a seat beside me. Bubbles sent me a sympathetic glance before returning to her almost-burnt pancake.

"I just..." I started. How was I supposed to tell my sisters this? "That guy was an attorney who's suing me for malpractice," I blurted. I looked up at my sisters who had an amused glance on their faces. "_What?_" I exclaimed. What were they so happy about?

"Damn, Blossom, you are getting sued by one _fine _lawyer," Buttercup smirked. I had to let out a groan of agreement. I wasn't going to lie, he _was _gorgeous.

"It's alright, Bloss," Bubbles said soothingly, "I bet he'll drop the case since it was you," she giggled.

"Well... He doesn't exactly know he's suing _me_..." I started. I groaned. Again. "Okay, whatever. I'm done with this. I need to take a shower and completely forget this ever _happened_!" I exclaimed, standing up and making my way to my bathroom.

"Don't be too long! Breakfast's almost ready!" Bubbles called out to me as I walked out.

...

It had been about a week since my irresponsible little evening and I hadn't gotten any word from Brick. He didn't seem to drop the case, thankfully. Not that I wanted to get sued, but if he was still after me, that meant he probably didn't realize it was drunk Dr. Utonium he slept with a week before.

"Doctor?" my secretary shook me from my thoughts. I finished signing the files she was waiting on and I handed them to her with a smile, "This is for you," she said, handing me a bright red folder. "Mr. Jojo's office sent them over last night," she finished before scurrying off.

My eyes widened and my hands shook a little bit as I opened the file. What did he send me? I let out a sigh of relief when it turned out to be two more malpractice claims. Never before was I so happy to get sued!

Was I being absolutely ridiculous? Perhaps. Even if that moronic attorney did connect the dots, so what? I was clearly overreacting. Why should one little one night stand with some cretin affect my career? ...But still. A part of me _had _to know if he knew or not.

I shouldn't have picked up the phone and called him, but against all logical reason, I did.

"Hello, is Mr. Jojo there? ...Sure, I'll hold."

...

_(Brick's POV)_

I groaned as I heard my phone go off. I stirred in bed and muttered some swear words to myself, deciding that I'd just ignore the call.

"Brickie-Boo," a squeaky voice cooed beside me. Oh yeah, I brought some brunette home last night. What was her name? "Do ya want me to get that for you?" she held up my Android phone.

"Whatever," I muttered, burying my head back in my pillow.

"Brick Jojo's phone, Astrid speaking," she answered. Right, that was her name. Astrid. "Oh, hello, Dr. Utonium!" I groaned. Not this old hag. She had this crazy idea that she would never make a mistake ever. She thought way too highly of herself and it was high time someone knocked her down. She was probably calling to whine about the two cases I filed against her last night. Heh. "Yeah, just one second," the brunette said, holding my phone to her collarbone. "A Dr. Utonium wants to talk to you," she whispered to me. As if I couldn't figure that out.

"Wow, thanks. I had no idea, Ashley," I said acerbically. She narrowed her eyes in anger. Oh, this would be good.

"It's Astrid, you ass, not Ashley! It's not _Blossom _either! I don't know who that is-"

"Get out," I ordered lowly. "Now."

"Ugh, gladly," she scoffed, dropping my phone and grabbing her clothes as she left. Not before sending me a nasty scowl though.

Blossom... She was this girl I met at a club and hooked up with like a week ago. We were both drunk, but for some reason... I couldn't get my mind off her. She was gorgeous, funny, intelligent (or as intelligent a person can be when wasted) and for some reason, we automatically connected. ...Wow, okay, I almost sounded like Boomer, my pansy of a little brother. Never mind.

Just then, I realized Utonium was still on the phone. I paled. Crap, wasn't her name Blossom too? It would've been awkward if she heard that. Well, whatever. Blossom's a common name, right?

I picked up and phone and, "What do you want, Utonium?" I groaned.

"_Not a morning person, I see?_" I rolled my eyes.

"Did you just call to small-talk or do you plan on whining about those cases filed against you?"

"_Whining? I do _not _whine! I called to see whether or not you were serious about these two. In fact, I had a hard time finding evidence against me, so I wasn't sure if it was a joke._" That presumptuous bitch. I had had it. I wasn't wasting my time talking to her.

"Why don't you save it for court, Utonium? That is, unless you're scared," I taunted.

"_Hardly. I'll see you in there, Jojo._"

"Bet on it," I growled back before hanging up.

I threw my phone across the room in frustration. It wasn't the stupid doctor, it was the gorgeous redhead I met a week ago. I have never been so hung up on a girl... What was it about her that made me so... weak? And why did I let it bother me so much?

...

_(Back to Blosom's POV)_

Two weeks had passed since I had called Brick and his gruff demeanor meant he surely didn't know. After that weight had been lifted off my chest, I was free to resume my regular work at the hospital. I didn't really care about the lawsuits since the hospital had the best lawyers and I had gotten back to my regular routine.

I had all but forgotten that night three weeks ago. Part of me was absolutely disgusted that I had let myself get drunk and go home with a complete stranger, but part of me couldn't deny that it was one of the best nights I had had in a while. I pushed my thoughts to the side as I finished signing the file and handed it to my secretary.

After she stepped out, my stomach let out a loud rumble. Ugh, I was so hungry! I hadn't eaten anything all day. And anything I had eaten the night before, I threw up this morning. A few days ago I got this nasty bug and I've been so nauseated. I've vomited every morning and I've had trouble eating. Except, I was hungry all the time! It was awful.

I decided I could hold my food down for a little while, so I stepped out of my office. I was feeling rather warm, so I left my white-coat there. As I walked to the elevator, I had to tie my hair back in a ponytail. Normally, I left it down and it didn't bother me, but in the past few weeks, it had grown super fast! I needed to schedule a haircut.

The elevator dinged and I exited it, deciding at the last minute to skip the cafeteria. There was a Starbucks across the street, so I could grab something there. I straightened my black pencil shirt and smoothed the ruffles from my pink satin blouse, the clacking of my heels sounding as I crossed the road. I entered the coffee shop and joined the line.

The really, really, really long line. That was the _one _thing I hated about Starbucks. I let out a small groan and impatiently blew at my bangs. Great, just fricking great. I was starving and I would have to wait in line for half and hour before I could eat. I pulled out my phone to check if I had any missed messages. Just one from about three hours ago.

**Bubbles (received at 11:29 AM)**

**Omigosh, I just had the BEST staff meeting in the WORLD! I can't wait to tell you about it! AAAAAAH! :DDDDD**

I couldn't suppress my laugh. Bubbles always had her way of over-exaggerating. But still, I wonder what happened...? I pulled out the keyboard and was about to text her back, telling her to calm down, until-

"Blossom?"

My almost-pink eyes widened and my jaw dropped. What was _he _doing here? I ignored him. Maybe I just imagined it?

"Okay, that's cool. Ignore me," he said, nonchalant.

I spun around, "I-I didn't hear you," I started slowly. I forced a smile, hoping he wouldn't see through it. I looked at the redhead, who in his black slacks, red collared shirt and black tie did not look unappealing. "Well... Brick... I'm not sure what people say in these kinds of situations..." I said carefully.

Brick shrugged, "Me neither. Small talk?" he suggested, a twinkle in his eye.

"Okay," I nodded, trying to keep cool. How was this charming, attractive guy who made my legs wobble the same infuriating attorney who keeps trying to sue me? "What's... up?" I asked.

"Not much. Slow day at work, decided to take a break," he responded, "You?"

Slow day at work, my ass! I had gotten yet another lawsuit from this guy! I bit my lip, not wanting to blow my cover. He obviously didn't realize I was Dr. Utonium and I planned on keeping it that way. "Same here," I shrugged, "So-"

"Can I take your order, please?" the cashier interrupted. I was thankful, because I had _no_ idea what else to say to Brick.

"I'll take a venti vanilla bean frappachino and two of those glazed donuts over there," I replied.

"And for you, sir?" the cashier asked Brick.

Hey! It was my order! Did we look like we were together or something?

Brick seemed amused at my large order and simply said, "Just a tall latte for me." He pulled out a card and my eyes narrowed. Did he think I couldn't pay for my own food? "I got it," he told me, handing his card to the cashier.

"No, it's alright," said tersely, stopping him and shoving my own American Express to the cashier.

"Uhh," the cashier looked to both of us, not sure whose to take. Brick must have scared the guy with his fierce-looking eyes because the cashier took his card. I growled. Lately, I seemed to get upset over the smallest things. Ugh, I hate PMS. I narrowed my eyes at the cashier before putting my credit card away. "One venti vannila bean frap and a tall latte for the couple, here!" he called to the lady across from him.

Whoa, whoa, WHOA! Couple! We are _not _a couple! We are the _farthest _thing away from being a couple!

I gave the cashier an icy glare. He meekly handed me the bag of donuts and grabbed it and sat down at a small table. Brick followed me.

"Hungry?" he raised an eyebrow. What? Like every little thing I did amused this guy? What a loser.

"Mmhmm," I replied, chewing the large bite of donut in my mouth. I swallowed. I hated it that he followed me and was making me keep conversation, but I... I kinda liked being around him. "I haven't eaten anything all day," I defended myself as I finished off the first donut. I didn't really want to divulge my odd digestive patterns of late, so I left it at that. And I didn't care if I looked like a pig- I was hungry!

He smirked, "I gotta say, Blossom, you're one of a kind. In fact, you might be the only- No wait... I know another Blossom. She's this stuffy old doctor lady who needs to get laid. But, uh, nothing like you."

I _fumed_! I am NOT stuffy! And I did NOT need to get- Okay, whatever. Not wanting to blow my cover and have him connect the dots, I lied, "She sounds lame. I wish I could say I knew another Brick, but I don't. Guess you've got a unique name," I shrugged. The second part wasn't _really _a lie, since he _was _the only Brick I knew.

"Listen," he said, leaning in closer, "Are you doing anything Saturday night?"

Uh oh. I could see where this was going... No. No. Hell, no! I choked on my bite of donut, coughed, then swallowed it. "Um," I started, "I-Um.. Brick-We-You-I-" I stuttered. I stood up and looked down at him, meeting his eyes, "Brick, let's not... Can we just leave what happened between us at that- just a one night stand?"

He frowned, his eyes suddenly looking scarier than before, "Bloss, you don't-"

"Don't call me that," I turned away from him, holding in a shudder from his glare, "Better yet, can we just completely forget any of this ever happened?" I asked, shaking my head. I grabbed my frappachino from the counter and walked out, leaving a confused (and angry!) Brick in the wake.

...

I ran back to my office, locked the door, sat down in my ergonomic chair and cried. I sobbed and choked and let tears fall down my face until it was a mess of dripping mascara and red blotches. I pulled out a few tissues and sobbed into them until they were soaking wet. My body shook as I cried my heart out until I didn't have any more tears. Then, just suddenly, I stopped. I didn't feel like crying anymore.

I sniffled and took a tissue and wiped my face clean of makeup and tears. I sniffed as I pulled out my compact mirror and fixed my hair. I straightened out my clothes, put on my white coat, grabbed my things and walked out the door.

I have no idea what came over me. I flat out rejected a guy, so why was I so upset? I couldn't logic it through. Sure, Brick was attractive, charming, funny, intelligent (well, that's debatable), successful- Wait, where was I going with this? Oh right, I didn't want a relationship right now. I didn't want to put my heart on the line, only for it to be shattered into a thousand tiny little pieces. I was tired of that. Was I, Blossom Utonium, taking the easy, scaredy-cat way out?

Maybe. Possibly. Probably. OKAY, FINE! I was. But what? I was probably just saving myself the heartache. I'd go out a few dates with this womanizing loser, get attached to him, but then some hotter woman would come along and I'd be alone. We had a great night together (that I'm slowly piecing back together). And we've both got careers. I bet if he knew I was really that 'stuffy old doctor', he wouldn't be interested in the first place.

I was looking into this too much, that's what it was. I had a one night stand and being the analytical, reasoning Blossom I am, I had to look into it. It didn't mean anything and I can chalk up my outburst to PMS.

God, I really hated PMS.

I pulled out my car keys, hit a button and my pink Prius unlocked. I tossed my bags into the trunk and hopped into the car and drove home, keeping my emotions in check the entire way. Once I got to the building, I parked, stepped out of the car, walked up to the fifth floor and before I had the chance to unlock the door, Bubbles pulled me into the flat and into her room.

"Bubbles!" I exclaimed, "What happened?" I asked, looking around at the state of her room. Clothes were sprawled everywhere; I could barely see the floor!

"OmigoshBlossom! I just met the cutest guy and he was super cute and nice and I'm so excited because he asked me out and we're going out on a date and he's so nice and perfect and wonderful and I think I'm in love and it's awesome and I just can't-"

I gripped Bubbles's shoulders, looked her square in the eye and said, "Calm the hell down, sis. Take a deep breath."

She followed my advice and let out a deep breath, "T-Thanks, Bloss. I needed that."

"Okay, so," I smiled, "What are you so excited about?" I asked, insanely curious. I wonder if this had anything to do with the staff meeting she texted me about...?

"Alright, I met the sweetest guy at our staff meeting today," she started. See, Bubbles worked in the Townsville City School system, Pokey Oaks Kindergarten to be exact. That was actually where the three of us went to school. Ms. Keane, our teacher, ended up getting her doctorate (Dr. Keane now) and became in charge of the entire school system. She also fell in love with our dad, The Professor, and they've been married for more than ten years. Anyways, after high school, Bubbles pursued a degree in education, specializing the development of young children. She's been teaching kindergarten for a few years now and I can't think of anyone better to teach five-year-olds than her.

"Continue..." I prodded.

"So, staff meetings are for all the teachers and staff in the entire system," she explained, "There, I met this super cute blonde guy who teaches high school English! He was sooo cute! And sweet! And sensitive. Blossom, I talked to him for like fifteen minutes and I felt like I knew him my _entire _life! We just connected!" she gushed.

"Great," I smiled. Bubbles always got along well with guys, so not that I doubted her, I just-

"Bloss, I _know _what you're thinking. But this is so different from every other guy I've ever been with! I think he's _the one_!"

"The one? How long have you known him?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Since this morning," she mumbled.

I nodded, "Alright, I am super happy for you," I grinned, "So, was there anything you needed from me?" I asked.

"YES!" Bubbles exclaimed. "Help me pick something to wear!"

She needed fashion advice? "Bubbles, you're the fashionista, not me," I reminded her.

"You're always so classy though! I don't want him to think I'm a slut!" she cried.

I rolled my eyes at her irrational fear and rummaged through some clothes from the massive pile all over her room, "What about this?" I held it up.

"Perfect!" she squealed. Just then, the doorbell rang and she paled, "It's Boomer! Quick, Bloss! Stall him while I get dressed!" she pleaded.

"Alright. You are going to be_ fine_," I reassured her before walking out to the front door.

I peeked through the little hole in the door before opening it and inviting the tall blond in. I scanned him and he looked innocuous, with a bouquet of blue irises in hand. He had shaggy blond hair and deep sapphire eyes, and wore a striped blue button-up and light-washed jeans. I couldn't help but feel I had seen him before somewhere...

"You must be Boomer," I crossed my arms, giving him a hard, intimidating stare. He visibly shrunk away. At his reaction, I laughed, "I'm just kidding! Don't be scared of me," I said lightly. "I'm Blossom," put my hand out for him to shake, which he did.

"Boomer," he replied.

"I know. So, I heard you teach high school," I started conversation.

He nodded, "Yup. Literature and Composition," he said, clearly nervous. I had to assuage him.

"Don't be nervous," I said gently, "Bubbles really likes you. You've got nothing to be afraid of," I smiled reassuringly, "Unless you hurt her, that is," I said lowly, almost growling.

He vigorously shook his head in response, "I would never do that. I know I just met her this morning, but I really like Bubbles," he assured me.

"Good," I nodded.

Just then, Bubbles stepped out in a sky-blue sundress with dark blue swirls on it. The dress fit her nicely and her white shrug, white sandals and white jewelry accentuated her beauty even more. She wore her blonde hair in pigtails, looking young, but not childish. Boomer flushed, clearly at a loss for words.

"I-Um-You-" he stuttered.

"Are these for me?" Bubbles asked sweetly. Boomer nodded and handed her the flowers and she blushed. "Thanks, Boomer."

"Well, have fun you two," I said, urging them out the door. If I didn't say anything, they would've stood there for hours, blushing and avoiding eye contact. I waved them away, then shut the door behind them. I was happy for Bubbles. I really hoped things went well with her and Boomer, because I kinda liked him too. They looked like they'd be good together.

I stepped into the kitchen and put a frozen pizza into the oven. Buttercup wasn't getting home until much later, but I was really hungry, so I could finish off an entire pizza. With the apartment to myself and nothing else to do, I pulled out my phone and went on Facebook. I opened up my News Feed and went through it, looking for interesting statuses or pictures.

**Bubbles Utonium is now friends with Boomer Jojo.**

Boomer _Jojo_? He couldn't posssibly be related to Brick... Could he? I clicked on his name and his profile popped up. His picture had him with his arms around a black-haired guy and Brick. I went to his info to see if he had listed any siblings and sure enough, he was brothers with Brick and some guy named Butch. Aw, great.

Out of all the men in the world, my little sister has to fall for _his _little brother? Just great.

...

It's been a week since I ran into Brick at Starbucks and I still haven't been feeling better. I've thrown up every morning and I've had cravings for the weirdest foods. My hair won't stop growing and I've had all of these ridiculous mood swings (seriously, one moment I'm yelling, the next I'm crying!). And to make matters worse, I've been super stressed. That's probably why I missed my period.

...Wait a second.

Nausea (in the mornings!). Cravings. Hair growing longer and shinier. Mood swings. Missed period.

Holy crap, I'm... I'm... I'm.. _**PREGNANT! **_

"Dr. Utonium, you wanted these?" my secretary handed me a stack of files.

"T-Thanks," my voice got stuck in my throat as I took the files. "C-Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure, what can I help you with?" she asked.

"Get me a few pregnancy tests," I told her. At her surprised countenance, I hastily added, "For a friend! But still, be discreet." She nodded understandingly and exited the office. I let my head hit the desk.

How could I? How could I be pregnant? I haven't even slept with- Oh no. No. No no no no no no! Not Brick! Brick's the last guy I slept with! But it was a month ago... It couldn't be!

But it could. He was the only guy I've been with for a while... And come to think of it, I might have been drunk, but I couldn't remember using protection. I felt hot tears well up in my eyes, but I told myself I couldn't cry. Not here in the hospital. I'd have to save them for home.

A quick knock on my door was followed by my secretary walking in with a package, "The package you requested, doctor," she winked at me.

"That was... quick..." I said lamely. She nodded her head before leaving and I was left staring at the white box in front of me. I popped it open and there were about ten tests. I bit my lip, nervous to test myself. Since I had finished my work for the day, I decided to wait until I was home. The last thing I needed were a bunch of nosy nurses peeping around in my business. I quickly gathered my things together and before I knew it, I was back at my place.

I tossed my things aside and made a bee-line to my bathroom, the white package in hand. I ripped open the packaging on a test, pulled it out and followed the directions. After what felt like eons, the result was back. I looked at the little plus sign, mocking me. No. No, it couldn't be! ...Many tests weren't accurate. It was better to double check.

So I ran it again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again. Seventh time's the charm, right? But unfortunately, the result was no different from the six before it.

"I'm... pregnant..." Saying for the first time aloud made it seem real. It was real. I was having a baby. I was... having a baby. Right now, a little clump of cells was dividing and in eight months, it would be a little baby.

It would be a baby. My baby. Brick's baby.

Suddenly, the world went black and I lost control of my balance. The last thing I heard was the sound of my body hitting the cold tile floor.

...

**D'aww, poor Blossom! :(  
**

**Please leave a review! Reviews make for a happy author, a happy author makes for a faster update, so y'know what to do :D**

**Oh, I need a name for Blossom's secretary? I can't keep calling her 'secretary'. Ideas?  
**


	3. The Second Month

**Disclaimer: **Heh heh, no. Don't own anything!**  
**

**Author's Note:** Yay, chapter THREE! Alright, thanks all my lovely readers and reviewers! Love y'all!

So, a special thanks to **Andie143lovesanime **for the secretary's name. I really appreciate all of y'all who gave me suggestions, but I really liked theirs. So thanks!

Also, here's a little POV shift towards the middle, hope ya don't mind.

Aaaaaaand... I don't really like my title... Any ideas? Pwease? (:

Okay, okay. My A/N's done. Enjoy!

...

"OMIGOSH, BLOSSOM!" I heard a yell, springing up. It wasn't the yell that woke me, it was the pail of freezing water thrown on my face that did it.

"Ahh!" I exclaimed, my hands gripping around as I tried to open my eyes. They opened. I was on my bathroom floor with a scared Bubbles hovering over me and a concerned Buttercup standing beside me with an empty bucket in her hands. I glared.

"Heh, sorry," Buttercup gave a nervous chuckle, tossing the bucket to the side, "We tried to wake you up, but nothing worked," she explained simply.

I let it slide. I let out a small groan as I sat up, leaning against the cabinet under the sink. I looked at Bubbles, then Buttercup, then down at my own hands. Suddenly, it all came back to me! I was _pregnant_! My breathing became faster and shallower as I-

"No, Blossom!" Bubbles pleaded, "You can't faint _again_!"

"Uhh," I roused, rubbing my temples as I looked at my sisters, "Sorry," I croaked, "It was probably just dehydration..."

"_Just _dehydration?" Buttercup raised an eyebrow as she lifted up one of the pregnancy tests from the waste basket. Bubbles looked over to her quizzically until she realized what was in Buttercup's hand. Her eyes widened excitedly as she put her hands over her mouth to contain a squeal.

"Oh yeah. That too," I muttered.

"How long were you planning on hiding this from us?" Buttercup questioned.

"I didn't even know until just now," I defended myself. I sighed, "I was going to tell you guys..." I said softly, "Maybe..." I added. I closed my eyes and tried to hold back tears, "I am such a disappointment to you guys," I started letting the tears fall, "I'll understand if you never want to talk to me ever again!" I cried.

I felt two arms grab me, pull me up, drag me out of the bathroom and help me to the couch in the room next door. I let my eyes open to see my sisters give me hard stares. My lip quivered.

"Blossom, I can't believe you think that about us!" Buttercup exclaimed, "You think we'll hate you?"

"We could never hate you, Blossom!" Bubbles hopped beside me and scooped me into a bone-crushing hug, "We _LOVE _you!" Even Buttercup joined in on the embrace. I let my tears fall, but this time instead of being sad ones- they were happy.

"I love you guys too!" I cried as I wrapped my arms around both of them.

"I can't believe I'm going to be an auntie!" Bubbles exclaimed after we all pulled away from the hug, "Omigosh, Blossom! I'm so excited! I'm gonna be Auntie Bubbles!"

Buttercup and I laughed. "I'm gonna be an aunt," Buttercup murmured. She looked up at me and smiled. "We're going to be aunts. And you're going to be a mom."

"I'm going to be a... mom," I said softly to myself. "I'm going to be a mother!" I said, louder this time and with a smile forming at the corner of my lips.

"You are going to be an _amazing_ mother!" Bubbles squealed.

"Wait... Who's the father?" Buttercup asked. Both of them looked at me expectantly.

I couldn't tell them... "I don't know," I answered, looking down at my twiddling thumbs. I'd rather have them think I'm a whore than they know I slept with that awful attorney.

"Blossom, you know we're here for you," Bubbles said gently, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"We aren't going anywhere," Buttercup added.

Their love and kindness mixed with my mood swings was a recipe for a tearfest. I couldn't hold back tears as I embraced the two most supportive and loving people in my life.

...

It had been a week since my sisters found out and they had been really great. I had started taking my pregnancy vitamin and I had made an appointment with the obstetrician. She worked at the hospital too, so after I finished work, I hopped into an elevator and went up to the twelfth floor. After stepping into the lobby and filling out a few forms, I waited for a while until one of the nurses called me in. She led me through a maze of walls and offices until we arrived at Dr. Bellum's door.

"Hi, Dr. Bellum," I said with a smile as I stepped into her office. I took a seat in one of the chairs across from her, "Thanks so much for seeing me on such short notice."

"Nonsense, Blossom," Dr. Bellum shook it off, "How could I not? And please, call me Sara."

"Alright," I nodded, crossing my legs, "So..." I started, not sure where this appointment was going. I'm a surgeon, not a gynecologist! How would I know?

"Do you have an idea when the baby was conceived?" Sara started with the usual questions.

"About six weeks ago," I muttered, my mind immediately returning to my _horrible _(yet amazing) night with Brick. I bit my lip, "The father doesn't know and I don't plan on him knowing," I added preemptively. That was bound to be a question.

After a little more discussion and Sara giving me the usual pregnancy warnings, we moved onto the ultrasound.

"This is going to be a little cold," she warned as she spread the ultrasound gel on my bare belly. I shivered at the touch, but recovered quickly. She pulled out the handheld and rubbed it across my belly, looking for my embryo, "There it is," she said gently, as a little white tadpole-looking lump on the screen. "It looks good so far!"

I couldn't help but smile- that was my baby up there! "There's its little hands and feet," I cooed, looking at the buds forming on the lump.

"We've got a heartbeat!" she exclaimed as well. She looked at me, then at the ultrasound I was looking at, then at me again, "It's got your eyes," she added.

I flushed, "Sorry," I mumbled. I was overreacting.

"You shouldn't be. It's right to feel excited," Sara laughed as she wiped off the blue gel and turned off the ultrasound. I pulled down my baby pink blouse, buttoned my sequined black sweater and hopped off the examining table.

"I'll see you next month, Dr. B- Sara," I corrected myself. With a smile, I left her office and headed down to the parking garage.

I couldn't be a mother until I had the right information! It was time to head to the bookstore.

...

In the past few weeks, in addition to my usual morning sickness, mood swings and odd cravings, I've been getting tired more easily and I've had to go to the bathroom more often. I can thank that little embryo for pushing up against my bladder, I thought as I exited the Barnes & Noble bathroom. I picked up the stack of books I had collected from the empty table around the corner and headed for the checkout line. I wasn't paying much attention to where I was going to to who I was bumping into until-

"Whoa, I am so sorr-" the man I bumped into paused, "Blossom?" I looked up and saw him narrow his eyes at me in curiosity. My eyes widened and I swallowed. Not again.

"H-Hey, Brick," I started, forcing a smile as I bent down to pick up the books I had dropped when I bumped into him. He too was on his knees, gathering my books to hand to me.

He looked so pissed when I rejected him three weeks ago, so I wasn't sure how he would act now, let alone how _I_ would respond. How could I respond? For the past three weeks, no matter how many lawsuits Mr. Jojo slammed me with, part of me missed the Brick that I had so much fun with. When I was around him, I felt so different... But not different in a bad way... Different in a _good _way. And no matter how much I tried to convince myself that I hated him, part of me couldn't deny this attraction to Brick.

He hated Dr. Utonium, but how did he feel about just Blossom? "Small world, huh?" I chuckled nervously.

"Yeah," Brick mumbled, still looking at me in a way that made me uncomfortable. Which type of uncomfortable? Well, to tell the truth- it wasn't that uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, the words coming about quickly. I didn't think I had anything to be sorry for, but those words just rolled off my tongue so easily. I was sorry for upsetting him that other day, but I deep down, I think I was apologizing for letting him go. The electricity that pulsed through my fingers when our hands met was a foreign feeling- no man had ever made me feel this... This... This...

"Don't be. It was my fault. I should have been watching where I was going," Brick shook it off. He picked up the final book and was about to hand to me until he read the title, "_The Single Working Woman's Guide to Bringing Up a Baby_?"

I flushed. He couldn't know this was mine. He was smart- if he knew this was mine, then he'd know the baby was his. I had to cover this up quickly. "Not mine," I said swiftly. "I mean, it's for a friend," I clarified. "She's having her baby shower soon and I wanted to get her something useful," I explained. God, I hoped I was a good liar.

Brick nodded slowly, as he just comprehended what I was saying, "Why's she single?" he asked curiously after I had taken the book.

"She's a whore," I shrugged, "She slept around with some random guy and now she's suffering the consequences."

Brick seemed taken aback at my acerbic words, "That's pretty harsh, Blossom. I thought she was your friend."

"She is," I replied, affirming his statement, "But I'm honest. And it's the truth," I said frankly. It was. I stood up off the carpeted floor, as did he.

"You know, I bet the father would want to know he was going to be a dad," Brick changed the subject a little. His comment made me nervous. Did he see through my thinly-veiled facade? Did he know he was the father of my baby?

I swallowed, "I don't think so," I shook my head as I started to turn away.

"Wait," he stopped me, putting a warm hand on my shoulder.

I stopped and spun around to face him, "What, Brick? I've got to go," I said, the anxiety in my voice hardly concealed.

"I know you don't want anything to do with me," Brick started, shoving his hands in his pockets, "But can we at least be friends?" he asked hopefully.

I couldn't help but give a small smile, "Yeah. I think I'd really like that," I whispered, looking up at him.

"Great," Brick smirked. That infuriating yet incredibly sexy smirk. "I guess I'll see you around."

"Uh huh," my voice squeaked a little as I hurried off. Did he know I was pregnant? Did he know he was the father? Did he know I lied straight to his face? Oh, no!

T-There's no way he could know. Only four people knew- me, my sisters and my doctor. And none of them would ever tell anyone. And even if they did, how would it get around to Brick? And how could be sure _he _was the father?

...Or maybe he didn't know. Maybe he was trying to be friends with me. Maybe we could be friends. As crazy as that would've sounded three weeks ago, now I thought it wasn't a bad idea.

Maybe my baby needed its father in its life...

...

_(Bubbles's POV)_

"You've got a really nice place, Boomie," I complimented him as we stepped into his penthouse. It had high ceilings and lots of windows, along with a stylish array of red, green and blue furniture.

"Me and my brothers share it," Boomer shrugged, "I can't exactly afford a pad like this on a high school teacher's salary," he chuckled.

"You live with your brothers?" I asked curiously. He had mentioned his two brothers before and I think I might have seen pictures of them on Facebook, but Boomer always seemed to shy away from the topic of his brothers.

"Yeah," he answered as he stepped into the kitchen. I wasn't sure what to do, so I just plopped down on the plush sofa. "They're alright," he continued as he reemerged into the room with a bowl of grapes in hand. He put it on the coffee table in front of me and took a seat beside me.

"That's cool," I responded, "I live with my two sisters. I _love _them. They're seriously the best friends I've ever had," I told him, completely honest. Maybe me talking about my sisters would get him to open up about his brothers. He didn't reply...Okay, this wasn't working. "Tell me about your brothers, Boomie," I requested, widening my eyes and pushing out my upper lip _just _right. He couldn't resist.

"Okay, fine," he conceded. I grinned. "I've got two older brothers. But they're not older by much. Brick's older by fifteen minutes, Butch is older by like eight."

That is so weird! Blossom and Buttercup and me were like that too! "What are they like?" I asked, even more curious.

"Well, Butch is kinda mean. He's all tough and intense and rough and he thinks I'm a wuss. But we're bros, and he knows that," Boomer smiled a little. "Brick's a little different. He's bossy and smart and he _always _has to be right. But he's always looking out for us."

"They sound like my sisters," I commented quietly, "Buttercup acts tough all the time, but deep down, she really loves us. And Blossom's a total know-it-all and she's always telling us what to do, but only because she loves us."

"They sound pretty cool," Boomer replied, surprised how similar how siblings seemed.

"Mmm hmm," I nodded. "So, you've met one of my sisters, when do I get to meet one of your brothers?" I leaned on Boomer, placing my hands on his shoulder and resting my head on my hands, looking up at him.

"Why do you care about my brothers? What about _me_?" Boomer whined. I giggled. He laughed, "Well, I guess you can meet them if you want. But they're pretty rough. Especially Brick. I dunno, but something happened a few weeks ago and he's been really bossy and rude. More than usual, that is," he explained.

"That is so weird!" I exclaimed. ""Blossom's been like that too. But for _completely _different reasons, I'm sure. See, she's pregnant-" Crap, I wasn't supposed to tell anyone that. Oh no! "OMIGOSH! That was a secret! Boomie, you can't tell _anyone_!"

Boomer chuckled, "Bubs, calm down," he put his arm around me, "I won't. I barely even know your sister," he shrugged.

"Good," I kissed him lightly, "I never said anything about her, then," I reiterated.

"Grape?" Boomer asked me, pulling out a bunch from the bowl he had brought out earlier.

"I thought you'd never ask," I giggled as I opened my mouth and put a sweet green grape in.

"Get a room you two," a deep voice called out from behind us. Who was that? I looked at Boomer confused. He looked irritated.

"What are you doing here? I thought you went to the bookstore," Boomer grumbled, his shoulders dropping. At this, the man smirked. "Well, whatever. Go away, Brick," Boomer replied, angry. He stood up off the couch and walked around to face the guy. Who was _Brick_? ...Brick! That was his brother! I whipped around to see a tall redhead standing behind the couch. He looked just like Boomer, only a little more muscular and he had ginger locks and eyes that looked like they had a fleck of red in them.

Brick smirked, "Alright, I'll leave you two lovebirds alone, but-" he stopped mid-sentence. I felt his gaze on me, his eyes narrowing as he took in my features. I flashed him a big smile, but it looked it would take more than that to win him over. After a long pause, he asked, "Do you have a sister?"

Boomer groaned, "Dude, don't expect _my _girlfriend to set you up."

I giggled, "Two, actually. And they're both single, so-"

"I'm not looking for a date," Brick cut me off, sending a glare to Boomer. He turned back to me, "You just look like someone I know, that's all." Brick shook his head, turned away and walked off, muttering to himself.

I felt goosebumps on my arm, "I see what you meant, Boomie," I murmured. "He sure was _scary_."

Boomer wrapped an arm around me, "Actually, that's the nicest he's been in a _long _time. I wonder what happened at the bookstore...?"

...

_(Back to Blossom's POV)_

Two weeks since I had met Brick at Barnes & Noble and I was still freaking out. The rational side of me kept saying there was no way he knew I was pregnant and that the kid was his while the not-so-rational part insisted he knew and was plotting to get back at me. But believe it or not, that was the least of my worries. It had been almost two months; our court date was rapidly approaching and I no idea how Dr. Utonium was going to confront Mr. Jojo about their stupid night together.

And if those things weren't enough to drive me insane, my pregnancy symptoms put me over the edge. I finally got a haircut, so now my hair was layered at my shoulders. I kinda liked the shorter 'do. But I had this ridiculous craving for marshmallows and pickles all the time and my morning sickness just kept getting worse. I had crazy mood swings, but I think I was getting control of those better. ...Maybe. It had only been about two months, so I wasn't even near showing.

I looked over at my calendar on the wall of my room. It was a Saturday afternoon and I wasn't on call, so I was relaxing at home. Bubbles was out with Boomer (stupid Brick's stupid brother) and Buttercup was in her room pounding a punching bag. Yesterday, she met some 'shitface' at work and he had gotten her really angry... Now that I think about it, I don't think she's left her room all day. I wonder what happened. Buttercup's always had a short temper, but I don't think I've ever seen her _this _mad.

Anyway, I decided to go on a run. I changed into some black running shorts and a hot pink tanktop and put on my black-pink tennis shoes. My hair was up in a ponytail and I grabbed my phone (which was also my MP3 player, conveniently) from my vanity as I walked out of my room. I needed to go run so I could get my thoughts in order. Plus, it had been a while since I've actually exercised. I was about to head out until my phone buzzed. I had gotten an email from Isabella, my secretary.

**New Email Message (received at 4:12 PM)**

**Dr. Utonium,**

**Hate to bother you on a Saturday, but I thought I'd share some good news! The courthouse called because they had to reschedule some of your malpractice cases because of an influx in criminal ones. Your next court date is in a month and it's with Mr. Jojo concerning your patient Arturo Greene. **

**See you Monday!**

**Isabella**

I almost dropped my phone after I read that! Holy crap, I had another month to figure things out! Wow, I think there really _is _a God and he just shined down on me. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I grinned. My day was now ten times better. I quickly typed a 'Thanks!' to Isabelle and shoved my phone in my pocket. **  
**

As I walked down the hall, I heard grunts coming from the green room meaning Buttercup was still at it. "Buttercup, I'm going on a run. Be back in a little while!" I called to her from the living room.

"Have fun! Don't talk to strangers!" she replied from her room. Just then, the doorbell rang. Huh. Who could that be? "Bloss, get that, will ya?" she yelled.

"Alright, alright!" I responded. I jogged over to the door, unlocked it and opened it. Maybe I should've checked who it was first... The door opened revealing a tall, incredibly muscular and tanned guy with spiky black hair and dark green eyes. He was wearing a forest green button-up shirt and jeans and he had a bouquet of white lilies with firm green stems. He looked familiar for some reason, but I couldn't exactly put a finger on who he was...

"Butch Jojo, is Buttercup Utonium here?"

No frickin' way. This was Brick's other brother! I knew I had seen a picture of him somewhere! And out of all the women in world, he's got flowers for _my _little sister? What were the chances of Brick's two brothers chasing after _my _two sisters? Seriously.

I was about to turn him away and tell him that a Buttercup Utonium didn't live here until Buttercup herself walked in. She had on a lime-green sports bra and tight black sweatpants that hung lowly on her waist. Her body glistened with sweat and her hair was a messy bun, "Who was it?" she asked me. When she saw who was at the door her emerald eyes narrowed and she scowled. "You!" she spat.

I looked at her curiously, then back at Butch, "You two know each other?" I asked, albeit it rhetorically because I already knew the answer.

"I wish I didn't!" she said caustically.

"So, uh, can I come in?" he asked lazily. I gave him a small nod, only to see how Buttercup would react. She fumed.

"Blossom! Get this dumbass out of here!" she yelled.

"Not before you tell me why," I faced her and crossed my arms, giving her a hard stare. Why was she freaking out? It was just a guy. ...Shut up. I don't need to take my own advice. Her nostrils flared in anger. I softened, "Buttercup, he got you flowers. At least hear him out," I suggested.

"You realize I'm standing right here?" he asked.

I ignored him. Why was I advocating Buttercup listen to stupid Brick's brother? It was beyond me. But... He brought her _flowers_! I guess I'm a sucker for that. And maybe Buttercup needed a man. I didn't know anything about the guy except that he was Brick and Boomer's brother, but I couldn't help but feel he'd be good for Buttercup. I looked at her and she scowled back at me.

"Fine," she said tersely. She turned to Butch, "What do you want?"

"I came to..." he took a deep breath, "Apologize. I'm sorry."

Buttercup glared for a while, but soon realized he was being earnest. She softened, "It's alright," she told him. "You aren't buying out my gym, though," she added with frown.

"I don't want to anymore," Butch shrugged, "I'm thinking more of a... partnership?"

At this, Buttercup's lip curled into a smile, "Continue..."

"How about over dinner?" Butch suggested.

"Alright," she nodded carefully. Then, a pause. "You got me _flowers_? Seriously?" Buttercup exclaimed.

Butch shrugged, "My pansy brother said girls liked them. I guess he'd know," he smirked.

"Well, does your brother have a girlfriend?" Buttercup asked, curious.

"...Yeah, why?" Butch asked, confused.

Buttercup shrugged, "Maybe that's why he's getting laid and you're not. Sure sounds like he knows how to treat a lady."

"You, a lady?" Butch snorted.

Buttercup narrowed her eyes in anger, "Excuse _me_?"

"Okay, break it up you two," I stepped between them. I think they forgot I was standing there, listening to their entire conversation. "I've got to go," I looked at my sister, "When I come back, I don't want to see my apartment in flames," I teased her. With a wave, I stepped out of my residence and headed downstairs, leaving Buttercup and Butch alone in our apartment.

I jogged a few blocks until I arrived at the Townsville Park, where I continued my run. My headphones were in my ears, my ponytail flopping every time my foot hit the ground. I moved my arms and my body bounced a little with each step I took. It was a great day; the sun was shining and there was cool breeze blowing and I felt amazing!

As I ran, I let my thoughts drift to Brick. I had such conflicting feelings towards the guy. I absolutely abhorred him and his stupid smirk, but I couldn't deny that he was attractive and charming and we connected at this amazing level every time we were together. Professionally, I hated the guy. Personally... I think my feelings towards him were really changing. Sometimes, if I let my mind drift, I'd think about him and what life would be like if we were dating... If he knew about the baby and didn't hate it... If he didn't hate Dr. Utonium...

Yeah, I was pretty pathetic. I know me and Brick would never amount to anything, but at least I would have my baby. My baby that I will love forever and ever. My beautiful, wonderful baby that was currently the size of a grape would be _mine_. I smiled at the thought of being a mom. I always wanted children of my own and maybe this wasn't exactly how I thought things would go, but I was still happy.

I thought I heard Brick's voice for some reason (I'm not crazy!), so I turned around and stopped for a second. I peeked behind the hedges and it was him! Brick was strolling in the park with a girl wrapped around him. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach as I understood that she must have been his girlfriend. She turned a little and her face became a little clearer. Chesnut hair, overly made up amber eyes, evil little smile? It was Princess Morbucks.

I narrowed my eyes in anger. That bitch! She was dating my baby-daddy! I pushed my feelings to the side so I could pay more attention. Looking closer at the two, I could see Brick wasn't smiling and Princess was pulling him closer to him. He didn't look very happy, which made me happy. Maybe he didn't love her!

...Why would that make me happy? Oh, no! No frickin' way! I did _not _have feelings for Brick and I was _not _jealous of Princess Morbucks! Nuh uh!

They walked out of the park and Princess stepped into a white limo. She said something to him, but he didn't smile or smirk at it. It must've been something lame. She grabbed him and kissed him and after she left, he wiped his mouth on his shirt sleeve. I giggled.

Suddenly, his head jerked and my eyes widened. I whipped around. He did _not _see me! ...Right?

I shook my head and continued my run around the park, secretly hoping Brick was still here and that I'd run into him. Speak of the devil... He was running around the corner. I sped up to catch up with him and called out, "Brick!"

He immediately stopped and turned around and as he saw me, he grinned, "Blossom."

I walked towards him and suddenly became aware of my not-so-flattering body odor and flushed. Hopefully he would think I was just red because of my run and _not _because of anything else! "What's up?" I asked him, crossing my arms as I approached him.

"Just running," he shrugged. "You?"

"Pretty much the same thing," I replied, still smiling, "So..."

"So..." he mirrored.

"I saw you with Princess Morbucks," I blurted. I didn't mean for it to sound so accusatory. I cringed.

His almost-red eyes darkened, "Yeah."

I figured he wanted to leave it at that, but I couldn't resist pushing the topic further, "Are you guys going out?" I asked curiously.

"No!" he exclaimed quickly, but soon recovered, "I mean, yeah," he coughed, "But not really. It's pretty one-sided."

I giggled, "So you don't like her?"

"Nope," Brick shook his head. He stopped and looked at me, interested, "How do you know Princess?"

"Kindergarten," I groaned. "Plus, her father's the benefactor of the-" Oh crap, was I about to say hospital? No way could I let _that_ spill! "Of the whole town," I finished quickly, "It's pretty hard not to butt head with her," I added.

Brick nodded understandingly, "Enough about Princess... So, what's new with you?"

"Not much," I shrugged. Actually, there were a lot of new things with me, but nothing I'd dare divulge to Brick. "You?" I asked, looking up at him. The sun was shining bright and it was getting in my eyes. I had to squint a little.

"You're beautiful," he murmured. ...Whoa, okay, so maybe that sun shining on me wasn't such a bad thing.

Even redder than before, I stuttered, "T-Thanks," I looked down at the ground, rubbing my elbow.

"Blossom?" he whispered.

"Yeah?" I looked up, biting my lip.

"I'm gonna kiss you now," Brick stated, cupping my chin and bringing his lips to mine. I didn't resist one bit and I brought my arms around his neck and let them play with his hair. He let his arms fall down to my waist and he pulled me closer, deepening the sweet kiss.

And for the first time in two months, I was able to forget my problems and be truly, completely, absolutely happy.

...

**Whew, that took a while. **

**Well, I do hope you liked it and that you'll let me know what you think! I love feedback and reviews make me write faster. Tee hee.**

**Ooh, and if you have an idea for a title name? Please, please lemme know! :D**

**Thanks for reading!  
**


	4. The Third Month

**Disclaimer:** Powerpuff Girls belongs to some super duper cool guy who's not me!

**Author's Note: **So, thanks all my wonderful readers and reviewers! Y'all are _amazing_!

Anyhoo, there'll be lots of Reds in this chapter because it's pretty important. Not much Blues or Greens, but maybe next time... And there_ will _be some POV shifting, because as I mentioned before, this is kinda an important chapter. The first half is Brick's POV and the second half is Blossom's (if that helps...).

Thanks **sweeeeeetxoxoxo123 **for the new title! I love how it relates to them and it's also a play on that new movie's title, No Strings Attached. So, clever! And thanks so much! (:

Aaand, if you could vote on my profile for the gender of Blossom's baby, that'd be great! I might not completely go with the result of the poll, but I'd love to know what y'all want her to have.

Welp, this is the end of my A/N. Enjoy the fic! :D

...

_(Brick's POV)_

I scanned the large ballroom looking for a face that wouldn't annoy me to tears. I hated coming to these fundraising gala things. All I would do the entire evening is listen to a bunch of stuffy old people who are too full of themselves. Sometimes I got lucky and scored a drunk hottie, but considering most the guests here tonight would qualify for Senior Citizen Movie Night at the local theater, my chances didn't look to good.

I took a sip of my bubbling champagne and adjusted the black tie of my tuxedo. Yes, I was wearing one of those. My hair was all slicked back too. I took another sip, but reminded myself I couldn't get drunk because I was here for work. See, Mr. Morbucks thew this thing; he's one of my top investors and after I broke up with his irritating daughter Princess a few weeks ago, I was treading on thin ice. I'm alright now because I managed to manipulate the situation so that Princess was the one who dumped me (yeah, she was sleeping with some other douche while we were 'dating'), so Morbucks doesn't hate me anymore, but I wanted to be safe. Aaand if these parties were good for _anything_, it was racking in new clients. The people who showed up to these things were loaded and almost all of them knew _someone_ who had been wronged by a doctor.

Speaking of doctors... God, I hate doctors. Do I have a least favorite? Well, that's tough considering they're all miserable sons of bitches, but I'd have to say Dr. Utonium. She's this annoying surgeon who thinks she owns the world and has never made a mistake. I can't stand her. But I don't need to ruin my evening even more by thinking about people like her. I should be thinking of people like...Blossom?

No, I didn't mean it like that (although I wouldn't mind thinking about _her_). I think I just saw her in the crowd over there. ...There she is! ...Damn, she looks amazing. As she turned around, I could clearly see that she'd went all out for this gala. She was in this white sleeveless formal dress that had a red sash under the bust that she had tied into a bow. Her auburn hair hung down in gentle curls, framing her milky heart-shaped face. Her almost pink-looking eyes looked huge with the make-up she had put on and her full lips were painted red. It didn't seem like she was wearing too much make-up like some people -coughPrincesscough- did; it looked natural. And as I examined her further, it almost looked like her hips were wider and chest fuller. Probably an effect of that tight curve-hugging dress.

She finally looked over to me and our eyes met. Her eyes widened (in alarm, surprise, maybe?) and she quickly flashed me a smile before returning to her conversation. I took this as an invitation to approach her and grabbing another glass of wine, I headed over in her direction.

"Maybe I borrow this beautiful young lady?" I smoothly asked the old man she was talking to. He gave a knowing grin and made himself scarce. I turned to Blossom who, though trying to hide her surprise, couldn't.

Finally, "B-Brick, what are you doing here?" she asked incredulously, "Not that I'm unhappy to see you, that is," she added quickly.

I sent her a signature smirk, "I could ask you the same thing," I replied. She raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow. I shrugged, "I'm trying to get on Morbucks's good side after I dumped Princess," I replied. It's the truth. I looked at her, "You?"

"Oh, um, you know, work," she answered rather quickly.

"Champagne?" I asked her, lifting the glass I had gotten for her.

She shook her head, "I'm not really feeling like it right now," she replied curtly, "Plus, I never drink on the job."

"That sounds smart," I chuckled, taking a sip of my own drink. After she declined, I placed the extra glass on a plate a waiter was carrying. "Are you having a good time?" I inquired, even though I knew the answer. She was just as miserable as I was until our eyes met.

"I _was _until you interrupted me," she replied cheekily. She laughed, "Just kidding. I've been _so _bored for the past few hours," she groaned, putting her hand up to her forehead for effect.

"Same here. I hate these parties," I told her. She nodded understandingly. I let my gaze finally slip off her to the other people in the ballroom. There were a lot of old people swaying on the other side of the room to some slow song. Bingo. I looked down to Blossom, my eyes meeting hers, "Would you like to dance?" I asked her, putting my hand out. Her cheeks pinkened, but she nodded, taking my hand into her own.

I led her to the floor and gently wrapped my arms around her tiny waist. She softened at my touch and wrapped her own arms around my neck. Just at that moment, the song came to an end and an even _slower _one started to play. I felt her rest her head on my rather large chest as she brought her body close to my own. We swayed for a while until Blossom glanced up at me.

"Deja vu, right?" she murmured.

I smiled, "Yeah, except we're sober right now," I noted. She rolled her eyes. I could feel her pressing closer to me, her arms tightening around my neck, so I pulled her closer and lowered my hands to her round hips. The song continued to play in the background and to be honest- I don't remember who initiated the kiss, just that we kissed.

It was a great kiss. In fact, it was probably one of the best kisses I've ever had, right alongside the other two times I kissed her. Our lips were pressed against each others' for a long, wonderful while until something buzzed and Blossom pulled away from me.

I looked her, confused, as she pulled a pager and cell phone out of her red clutch purse. Her eyebrow furrowed as she read the message on the pager and she bit her lip as she gave a sigh of frustration. She looked up, giving me an apologetic glance.

"Brick, I've _really _got to go. I am so sorry," she pushed her eyes closed as she slowly stepped back away from me. She gave me a quick wave before her pace quickened and she left, leaving me standing there dumbfounded.

What had happened? I danced with and kissed a beautiful girl who's been on my mind for weeks, months. But more than that... Why did I meet her here in the first place? This gala was for the people Morbucks's funded. And he only invested in the best of each business.

So what was her business? Why did she leave like that? ...And why did I have this sinking feeling that she's hiding something important from me?

...

It had been about a weeks since I saw Blossom at the gala and I couldn't get her image out of my mind. If I closed my eyes, I'd see her. And when I opened them, I wanted to see her. ...Damn, that sounded corny. But... It was the truth. God, it was unnerving having these feelings. They almost distracted me from work, but I had consciously kept them in check. I had finished early today, made a few phone calls to some of the people I'm suing (yes, including that insufferable Dr. Utonium), then headed back home to chill.

I put the finishing touches on my sandwich, put back my materials and carried my delicious creation to the lounge where my brothers were hanging out.

"Dude, I'm serious! They're like the _perfect _girls. If they had more sisters, the world would definitely be a better place," Butch said, nodding his head.

"I bet they're not hotter than Bubbles and her sister," Boomer replied, "I mean, Bubbles is gorgeous, but her older sister isn't bad either. She's got these eyes that are like _pink_, I swear!"

At this I looked up from my sandwich. How many girls had pink eyes? Only one I knew of. "Who are we talking about?" I asked between bites.

"BC's sister's got some pink-looking eyes. Red hair too," Butch ignored me. Pink eyes _and _red hair?

"_Who_ are we talking about?" I repeated myself a little louder.

"What was her name?" Boomer asked himself, "Lily?"

"Petals?" Butch thought aloud.

"Blossom!" they said at the same time. If I had food in my mouth when they said that, I would've choked.

"_Blossom?_" I croaked. Exactly _how_ many Blossoms lived in Townsville?

"Hey, you don't think we're talking about the same person, do you?" Boomer asked, uncharacteristically thoughtful.

A silent moment.

"HOLY CRAP!" they exclaimed at the same time.

"We're dating _sisters_?" Boomer exclaimed.

"Butterbutt and I aren't dating," Butch clarified.

"Dinner, flowers, you're always talking about her... You sure about that?" Boomer chuckled. Butch sent him a nasty glare. Boomer shrugged, "Whatever, dude."

"You know, Brick, I hear Blossom's single..." Butch started.

I glared, "Thanks but no thanks, bro," I finished off my sandwich and left the room. After dropping my plate in the sink, I shook my head, trying to forget what my brothers said. Sometimes they could be really stupid, you know. What can you do? Brothers. I shook my head.

I pulled out my phone and with nothing better to do, logged onto Facebook.

**One New Friend Request: Bubbles Utonium**

Bubbles _Utonium_? Okay, please tell me that's not Boomer's girlfriend... I clicked on her name and her profile popped up. I looked at her picture and it _was_ Bubbles surrounded by a bunch of little kids. Bubbles Utonium... She had to be Utonium's sister, because frankly, Utonium is a freakish name that no one else has. Boomer said she had two sisters... Butch was dating one of them and the other was a redheaded, pink-eyed beauty named Blossom...

Oh, no. Hell, no.

I quickly clicked on **Confirm**, confirming Bubbles as my friend. I didn't really care about her, but I needed to access her information. Soon enough, I was redirected to her profile page and I went to the information tab. She had two people listed as sisters- **Buttercup Utonium **and **Blossom Utonium**.

I felt my hands go numb as I clicked on Blossom Utonium's name. Her profile page loaded and I took a nice, long look at it. There was a picture of Blossom in a black and pink polka-dotted sundress at the beach.

Blossom. _My _Blossom. The Blossom I was falling in love with.

Utonium. The cranky, irritating, arrogant, surgeon-bitch Utonium. The Utonium I was suing next month.

And they were the same person. And Blossom Utonium knew it.

She was playing me! It explains everything. _That's _why she never talked about work. She knew who I was and that's why she rejected me at the coffee shop. When we met at the bookstore, she must've changed game plans and decided to string me along. She was taking advantage of me, probably trying to find a weak point or an Achilles heel she could use in court. Blossom Utonium had no intention of ever having a relationship with me, she just wanted to keep her winning streak. She probably hates that we slept together and is after revenge.

At this realization, I threw my phone across the room and let out a yell of frustration. My eyes turned a blood red and I growled. She wasn't getting away with this.

Blossom Utonium would _pay_.

...

_(Back to Blossom's POV)_

Gosh, I was so HUNGRY! I hadn't eaten all day and being pregnant didn't help my stomach at all. Thankfully, the hospital cafeteria was empty right now, so I didn't have to bother waiting in line. I grabbed a sandwich along with a pickle and bag of chips, a side salad with lots of carrots, a banana, a big chocolate cookie and a large bottle of apple juice. I showed the lady at the counter my hospital ID and she didn't charge me, she just handed me a plastic baggie to put my food in.

I had just finished my appointment with Sara and it was official- I had finished my first trimester! Whoo! So, I still wasn't showing just yet (which was good! Nobody knew and I wanted to keep it like that for as long as I could!) and my nausea was gradually going away. Sometimes I get headaches or I get really dizzy or tired, but that's probably just because of the hormone changes going on within me. I've only gained two pounds, which was a little less than normal even though my baby weighs less than half an ounce. I've noticed my hips get wider and my boobs get bigger (which isn't as great as it's cracked up to because my back has been _killing _me!). So all in all, I've been doing pretty good so far.

Just then, my phone went off. It was my effervescent little sister Bubbles.

"Bubbles?" I spoke into it.

"_Blossom! Are you done with your appointment? Tell me! Am I having a niece or a nephew!_" Bubbles exclaimed from the other side.

I laughed to myself at her excitement, "Bubs, I won't know for a few more weeks yet, maybe even a month or two."

I could feel her smile fall, but she continued excitedly, "_Well, I guess that's alright... I just really wanted to start shopping for my little niece or nephew!_"

"Bubbles, when I find out, you and BC will be the first to know, alright?" I reassured her.

"_Okay, I can live with that. ...Omigosh, I've got to go! Boomer's here! Bye, Bloss! Love you!_" she hung up, as did I.

Boomer was Bubbles boyfriend. He was also Butch's brother. Butch was Buttercup's boyfriend (they weren't using labels, but come on. All of us knew). And Boomer and Butch were Brick's brothers. Brick... Brick was the lawyer guy I was supposed to hate professionally, and I did in the beginning... But I kept meeting him everywhere and he was so sweet and charming and great to be around! He was an arrogant, chauvinistic, womanizing leech of a malpractice attorney, but he was also this great guy who happened to be the father of my baby. I used to hate him, then my feelings became conflicted, but now they're clear.

I've fallen pretty hard for Brick.

In fact, I couldn't get my mind off him! Last week I met him at Morbuck's gala and we kissed. That was the last time I saw him, the time before being a month ago at the park with Princess. Ugh, Princess. _Anyway_, I really-

Oop, my phone buzzed again. I looked down to the caller ID- **Brick Jojo**. I paled. It was Brick, but... It was Mr. Jojo too. Mr. Jojo hated Dr. Utonium and she was supposed to hate him too. But me, just Blossom, really, _really_, liked Brick. Aww, what was I going to do? I didn't want to talk to him in a professional surrounding for fear of letting my personal feelings get in the way. But I couldn't let my pesky emotions obstruct my professionalism. Okay, Bloss, just play it cool.

"Hello?" I asked, cool as a cucumber.

"_Afternoon, Utonium_," Brick replied, "_Personally, I wouldn't call if I didn't have to. I've got a scheduling mix-up and I need to change around some court dates._"

"Is the big bad attorney scared of a little ol' doctor?" I teased a little mockingly. I didn't mean to! I just couldn't resist.

"_Funny. I can see you next week in court if you really can't-_" I couldn't let Brick know it was me! I needed more time!

"No, it's alright. Just fax over the new dates," I quickly cut him off.

"_Okaay, thanks for being somewhat amenable. I'll see you in about a month, Utonium,_" he finished.

"Back at ya, Jojo," I replied before hanging up. As I hung up, I noticed that his voice sounded much different over the phone. Mine must have too. That's probably why Brick hasn't connected the dots yet...

Anyways... That was certainly the most civil conversation we've ever had as doctor and lawyer... Maybe Utonium and Jojo are making some progress. I was going to tell Brick that I was the surgeon, but... I didn't want to lose him. We were friends and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Brick _couldn't_ leave; and I just had to make sure he didn't despise Utonium before I told him.

For the third time in the last ten minutes, my phone went off again. Gosh, who gave out my number? I looked down at it- it was an email from Isabelle.

**New Email Message (recieved at 1:12 PM)**

**Dr. Utonium,**

**I know you're on lunch break, but Dr. Mayor, the Dean of Medicine, requested that you stop by his office before leaving today. Just wanted to inform you of this!**

**Isabelle**

I was about to walk into the elevator that would take me up to my office when I read this, so I stepped back. I turned around 180 degrees and headed towards the lobby of the hospital where Dr. Mayor's office was located. I peered into the glass walls and seeing him alone, decided to step in. Dr. Mayor was a small man, with a shiny bald head and fancy monocle. He wasn't the smartest or most organized doctor ever, but he was the one who loved Townsville General the most.

"You wanted to see me, Dr. Mayor?" I asked, stepping in.

"Oh, uh, Blossom!" he gushed. "I've got some terrible, terrible news."

I frowned and I could feel my eyebrows scrunching. I prepared myself for the worst, "W-What is it?"

"Oh, it's horrible!" he exclaimed, "Our lawyers at the hospital are gone! You know that one of them died a few weeks ago, but then other two got into a fight and left! Oh, it's terrible!"

My eyes widened. The hospital had no lawyers? How the hell was I not supposed to get sued by idiotic lawyers, then! "Um, do we have replacements?"

"No, no, no," Dr. Mayor muttered, "I'm looking for some, but it's gonna be a few weeks until I find someone. And I can't guarantee they'll be the best."

"What about all the lawsuits filed against me?" I asked incredulously. This could _not _be happening!

"I'm so sorry, Blossom," Dr. Mayor shook his head, "...Is that a pickle I smell?"

Okay, there's no way my day could get _any _worse.

...I shouldn't have thought that.

Now it will for _sure_.

...

It had been a few hours since I talked to Dr. Mayor about our attorney issue. It was freaking me out. How was I supposed to cover my butt in court without the help of my lawyers? Not only would Jojo find out about our one night stand, but he'll also wipe the floor with me in that courtroom. I groaned and let my head hit the desk.

I lifted my head as I adjusted my red satin blouse and flattened the crinkles from my white skirt with red swirls. I had just finished my shift in the emergency room, doing a few quick surgeries here and there. I was a surgeon by trade, but I specialized in emergency care as well, so I worked down the ER sometimes. After my shift, I headed back to the cafeteria to grab a snack. I picked out this delicious chocolate cake with strawberries and took it back to my office.

Yum, that was an amazing piece of cake. I tossed the container in the wastebasket as I grabbed tomorrow's files to take a quick peek at what the next day entailed. I spun my chair around so that my back was facing my desk and I was facing the large window that overlooked the hospital courtyard. I opened the first file and started to read, but suddenly my office door slammed open.

"S-Sir! You can't come in here! You don't have an a-appointment!" a rather unconfident voice that I recognized as Isabelle's pleaded.

"Let go," the man growled.

"Eeep!" she jumped back, "Dr. Utonium, I am so sorry!" she exclaimed before hurriedly leaving.

That man... His voice seemed familiar. I couldn't put a finger on it exac- Oh no. Oh no. No no no no. Anyone but him! It was _Brick_! He KNEW!

Shit. I paled. My back was still turned to him so I had the advantage. The malice in his voice stuck a pang in my heart. I couldn't let him know that I had feelings for him... He _hated_ me! I had to play it cool. Pretend none of this ever meant anything to me. I didn't want a relationship with him. I wasn't pregnant with his child. And I hadn't fallen for Brick Jojo.

_Yeah right_.

I just had to act like I knew all along and that I didn't have feelings for him. I had to be tough and intimidate him. I couldn't face his blatant rejection if he knew I loved him! That would be too much for me. I couldn't do it.

I closed my eyes as I pulled together my thoughts and removed any ounce of emotion from my face. I was getting ready to tell the biggest lie I've ever told. I spun the chair around so that I was facing Brick Jojo, my face indifferent.

"Blossom Utonium," he snarled, his burning red eyes enough to scare the most fearless. If looks could kill, I'd be dead about seven times already. I could see in his eyes the anger, hatred and bitterness he held for me and I could feel my heart shattering into a thousand little pieces. But I couldn't let him know.

"Took you long enough," I replied, coolly indifferent.

"You _bitch_," he spat, taking a step towards me in an attempt at intimidation. Oh, boy, it worked. I was terrified.

But I couldn't let it show, "Really, Brick? I would've expected more from you," I scoffed, standing up from my chair so that we were at eye-level (kinda. He _was _like half a foot taller than me!).

He fumed, "What you've been doing is pretty low. Even for a grimy doctor like you," he growled.

"Only an idiot wouldn't have connected the dots," I said contemptuously, "Oh wait, _you_ didn't, did you?"

"It takes a certain kind of cold, manipulative whore to sleep with a guy, then lead him on like that, you know," Brick growled as he neared closer to me.

I gave a little mocking laugh, "Well, I'm sorry you fell for it," I apologized insincerely, a mirthless smile on my lips. My red pumps clacked as I took another step towards him, mimicking his earlier movement. I raised an eyebrow, daring him to continue.

"And people wonder why I hate doctors," Brick muttered, looking down. His fierce eyes soon shot up and met mine as he tried to burn a hole through me, "You think you're better than everyone else. That you could never make a mistake," he said tauntingly.

"I've only ever made one," I replied bitingly, "You," I paused for dramatic effect, "And you're exactly why I hate lawyers. Always butting into people's business, thinking you know what's best when you obviously don't. Making a living off ruining lives," I spat.

"Whose? Yours?" Brick grinned maliciously as he shortened the distance between us as he took another, final step towards me. He couldn't have taken another step if he wanted to. There wasn't even enough space between us for a sheet of printer paper.

I didn't reply, I just looked up at him glared. Sometimes, the best messages were said with silence. I glared caustically and he returned the favor with scorn. Our eyes were locked in anger and hatred and the sexual tension in the room could've been cut with a knife.

Finally, I roughly grabbed him and slammed my lips to his. Instead of pulling back like I thought he would, he clutched my sides, his hands dangerously moving lower. I moved my hands to his head, gripping fistfuls of his shaggy red hair as he brought his hands to my blouse and popped off the first button. In response, my hands reached to his chest and pulled off the buttons to his shirt ferociously as our tongues battled for dominance. In an instant, my red blouse was on the floor and I had been pushed onto my desk as Brick hungrily pinned me down. He had pulled the pins out of my hair, letting my wild red hair flow down my shoulders. Our hands roamed each other and I fully enjoyed taking in his chiseled body. He reached behind me to unclasp my bright red bra when-

"Dr. Utonium, I hate to interrupt- Oh my god I am so sorry!" Isabelle had left just as soon as she had come in. Thankfully, she broke the moment and I pulled away, as did Brick. He picked up his black dress shirt off the ground and began to button it as I turned around to put on my red blouse.

"This isn't over, Utonium," Brick spat.

"You bet it isn't," I replied acerbically. He fastened his last button and stormed out, slamming the door of my office shut. After he left, I finished fixing my shirt and went to pick up the pins he had scattered. I pushed them back into my auburn locks and grabbed my whitecoat, pulling it on and covering myself with it as I sat down in my chair.

I felt hot tears well up in my eyes and I let them flow freely. I had no inhibitions here and I let my emotions rack my body with sobs as I cried out my frustration.

I guess I never intended to let him know because, deep down, I _knew _this would happen. I knew he'd hate me and everything I stood for. Now, he'd want no part in my baby's life. But it was beyond the baby... Brick was the first guy I had ever felt _this_ way about and now, we were over. He hated me and he thought I hated him.

That was it. We were done. It was over. And now, there was nothing I could do to fix it.

...

**Wow, Greenie, do ya always have to end your chapters on dramatic notes? ...Yes, yes I do! :P**

**Welp, I hope you enjoyed that... (well, it wasn't a lime or lemon or anything _too _citrusy. It was a little steamy, so... a clementine?)...whatever you want to call it. And I hope you enjoyed the chapter as a whole!**

**Please leave a review! I love hearing what y'all think and reviews make me wanna update faster. So, if you've got a few moments, don't be afraid to press that button and type in a few words! Oh, and be sure to vote on the poll on my profile!  
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**Thanks for reading! (:  
**


	5. The Fourth Month

**Disclaimer: **Hey, don't look at me! I only own this fic, not the characters or show!

**Author's Note: **Yayy! I got so many nice reviews! Thanks y'all! I really love the kind words you had to say! (:

This chappie might not have _that_ much Brick/Blossom in it, but it's definitely introducing some exciting plot twists.

Oh, and don't be afraid to vote on Blossom's baby in the poll on my profile!

I hope you enjoy this chappie! :D

...

"Bloss, you've been really sad for like _ever_! I hate seeing you sad," Bubbles said softly, her small lips curved downward in a frown.

I was _not _sad. I was perfectly fine, if you asked me.

I mean, a week ago I had this really big fight with Brick, but we weren't even _fighting _half the time. If Isabelle didn't walk in on us, we totally would've gone all the way. It was an amazing make-out session, but we said some pretty horrible things to each other. I pretty much told Brick that I never had any feelings for him and it was all a game to me. But, it _wasn't_ a game. And I really cared about him, but I couldn't swallow my pride and tell him. I was scared that he'd reject me. The way he looked at me that day... It was like pure hatred. I gave him plenty of reason to hate me, but none of those were real. That day, I didn't mean a word I said to him.

"I'm fine, Bubbles," I replied, pushing away my thoughts, "What are you talking about?"

"She's right you know," Buttercup interjected, "You've been moping for almost a week. What happened?"

I swallowed, "Nothing," I put on a fake smile, "It's probably just the stupid hormones," I added.

"Mmm hmm," Buttercup nodded disbelievingly.

"I guess you don't have to tell us," Bubbles murmured.

I laughed, "You guys are overreacting! There is _nothing _wrong with me. I'm _fine_!" Well, that was a big fat lie. But they didn't need to know. I wasn't going to bog down my sisters with all the problems in my personal life.

"If you say so..." Bubbles finally conceded. "You can tell us anything, you know that?"

"I know," I genuinely smiled at my sisters, "I love you two," I engulfed them in a big hug.

I did love them. And it was nice to know that they loved me back. It was nice to know that at least some people didn't hate me...

...

Two weeks since I had last said anything to Brick in my office and I had come to the conclusion that I didn't have feelings for him. It just attraction and I had fooled myself into thinking I had genuine feelings for the guy. I mean, come on. Brick was a pig and a jerk and an idiotic lawyer. How would we have ever worked out?

I guess my pregnancy hormones had left me lusting for a guy and, who better than my baby-daddy? I was clearly enthralled by the idea of having something I could never have, like Brick, and that's probably what drove me after him.

Forget his charm, or looks, or smirk. I didn't like him and it was silly of me to think I did. Just because Bubbles and Boomer and Buttercup and Butch were perfect for each other didn't mean Brick and I would ever be. Plus, we didn't even-

My thoughts were interrupted my pager buzzing. Looks like my new patient was here! I grabbed the file off my desk and gave it a quick once-over before buzzing Isabelle to let him in.

Isabelle walked in with a short, stocky almost ape-looking man behind her. She asked him to take a seat and I took a better look at the man. He was in his fifties, but not a single hair of his was gray. He had sideburns, a head full of black hair and I bet if he wasn't wearing that classy business suit, he'd be showing some pretty hair arms.

I glanced up from his file to him and with a smile, started, "Good morning, Mr. Jojo," I greeted him. I wondered, was he related to Brick, Boomer and Butch?

"Please, call me Mojo. Or Moe. Most people call me Moe. Except my children. They call me father. But everyone else calls me Moe. It would be most peculiar if people who were not my children called my father. Because I am not their father because I am only the father of my three sons who call me Father," Mr. Jojo- I mean, Moe replied.

"Oh," I said weakly, "Nice to know," I nodded. I continued, "So you're here because you have to get your gallbladder removed, right?" I asked. I knew he was because that's what his file said, but I wanted to make sure he was aware of the procedure first.

"Yes," he responded. I wasn't sure if he was done, so I didn't continue. He didn't either.

"Alright," I nodded, "You've got cholelithiasis, which is fancy medical lingo for gallstones."

"Yes, I am aware of the presence of stones in my gallbladder," Moe replied.

"Great," I smiled. Okay, I had to know, "You said you had children... Three sons. Could you tell me a little about them?"

"I do not see how this is related to my gallstones, but you are the doctor so you must know best because you are a medical professional who knows much about gallstones and children. You are correct- I do have three sons. They are all the same age because they are triplets and they were born on the same day. Brick is the oldest of my three children and he is a lawyer and he owns his own law firm that he conducts lawsuits and other lawyer things at. My middle child is Butch who has a business chain of gyms where he helps people get in shape because they are at his gym and they come to get in shape. My youngest child is Boomer who is a public school teacher who teaches the English language to secondary-education students who want an education. I am most proud of my children because they are my children and have made me proud," Moe _finally _finished.

"Uh huh," I squeaked. I was talking to Brick's father... The grandfather of my baby. Oh god, this guy was the grandfather of my baby! My child was inheriting genes from this guy!

"Tell me, doctor. This terrible malady that is in my gallbladder won't be passed down to my children, will it?" he inquired.

"Oh, no!" I replied with a gentle smile, "Fortunately, gallstones _aren't_ hereditary, but-" Just then, my pager went off. I quickly glanced down at it and bit my lip. I looked back up at Moe, "It was a pleasure meeting you, Moe," I started. What? I probably needed to be on good terms with my kid's grandfather, "But I've got to run. I'll have a nurse come in here to check some information and before you leave, be sure to schedule your surgery date with Isabelle," I told him as I left.

"Goodbye, Doctor Utonium! It was also a pleasure meeting you as well!" he replied.

...

"Okay, what's the issue, Ace? They called out a Code Gray," I stepped into Ace Greene's Post-Operation hospital room. I raised an eyebrow at seeing him, his arms crossed behind his head full of greasy black hair, his feet resting on the rail of his hospital bed, a grin on his slimy-looking face. Ugh, what did Buttercup ever see in this guy?

"Nothin' much," he shrugged, "It's been a while, Blossy."

I gave him a hard stare, "Right now, I'm your doctor, so you can call me Dr. Utonium," I started, "And second- you got into a fight with the orderlies so we could _catch up_?"

Ace shrugged again, "Just wanted to see what's new with you and your sisters. How's Butters?" he grinned.

Oh, that's what this is about. "She's doing pretty great," I replied, then added, "Since she changed her relationship status on Facebook to 'In a Relationship', that is," I finished with a smirk.

Ace frowned at this, "Little Butters went off to get herself a boyfriend?"

"Yup," I popped the P as I turned around, leaving his room.

"Wait, Doc," Ace called out to me. He might be incredibly annoying, but he _was _my patient first. I stopped. "What, Ace?"

"I think there's something wrong with my catheter," he grinned. I groaned.

I rubbed my temples, "Okay, I'll get-"

"I WANT MY OWN ROOM!" a truculent man demanded as he was rolled into Ace's room

"I'm sorry, sir, we're just low on empty rooms right now," the nurse who carted him in said apologetically.

"Okay... So get me my own room!"

"Mr. Jojo, we _can't_," the nurse replied simply as she locked the bed's wheels in place and left, Butch's nasty look causing her to mutter to herself.

Butch Jojo was in a motorcycle accident last night and he had some nasty injuries. He was sent to Townsville General, and I, the _lucky_ attending ER physician, got to sew up his wounds. I had finished a while ago and the anethesia had probably just worn out. He didn't have anything too serious, just a concussion and a few bruises.

"Hey, it's Blossom," Butch smirked as he saw me in his room, "What's up?"

"So you're on a first name basis with this bozo, but not me?" Ace asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, actually, Butch, I'm your doctor right now. So, it's Dr. Utonium until you're discharged from here," I told him gently. He shrugged. "I haven't called Buttercup yet since she's usually not up until about now, so-"

"Gotcha," Butch nodded as he reached over for his phone on the table beside him.

"Wait, wait, wait. Back up. _Buttercup_?" Ace exclaimed. "Don't tell me this clown's dating _her_."

Butch slammed his phone down and pulled the curtain that was separating the two aside, "What did you call me? And how do you know Buttercup?"

Ace smirked, "Oh, we just slept with each other for about two years."

Butch glowered, "What did you say?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.

Ace grinned, "I said-"

"Okay, you two- Break it up," I ordered, "You're not fighting in my hospital," I told them before leaving. As I stepped out of their room, I couldn't help but think that they were the absolute worst people to have to share a room. "Keep an eye on the two men in 318," I warned one of the ladies at the nurses' station.

I pulled out my phone and typed a quick text to Buttercup before shoving it back into the large pocket of my whitecoat.

**New Text Message (sent at 8:02 AM)**

**Butch was in a little wreck last night, but I checked up on him and he was just fine. He's here at Towns Gen, but I seriously wouldn't advise coming to visit him. He's sharing a room with someone you probably don't want to see again.**

**Love you!**

I had been working all night and I hadn't eaten anything since dinner, so I stepped into the elevator and headed up to my office to grab my things before getting breakfast. My shift was over so I'd probably just stop by Dunkin Donuts on the way home. As I walked onto my floor, I looked for Moe since he'd most likely want to see his son.

"Is Mr. Jojo still here?" I asked Isabelle.

"Which one?" she asked. "The lawyer, your ER patient or your surgery patient?"

I tightened at the mention of Brick. "The surgery one," I answered, exasperated.

She sensed my impatience and shook her head, "Nope. He made an appointment and left just a few minutes ago. Do you want me to call him?"

"No, it's alright," I shook it off as I walked down to my office.

There, I tidied up my desk, grabbed my big slouchy pink-patterned hobo bag and headed downstairs. In the lobby, I pulled out my keys as was about to leave the hospital until I saw a familiar redhead.

"Brick," I murmured, my voice barely a whisper, at seeing him. He must've heard me because he whipped around around scanned the area for the source of the noise.

He spotted me and his eyes narrowed immediately, "What do you want, Utonium?" he spat.

I frowned, "Nothing, Jojo," I replied coolly, "I just didn't expect to see you in a hospital. I thought you hated those," I sneered.

"I do." He scoffed, "My idiot brother got into a wreck last night and I heard he was taken here."

I softened at the realization that Brick was here to see his brother. Maybe he did have a heart in there somewhere. "He's going to be just fine. He's got a minor concussion and a few scrapes, but he'll be out of here before you know it," I told Brick with a smile. "Oh, he's in room 318, by the way," I added before walking away.

Before I could leave, though, Brick grabbed my hand, sending electricity pulsing through my veins. I felt my breath get caught in my throat at the touch of his skin. I stopped in my tracks and spun around.

"Thanks," he said genuinely. His smile made my heart melt.

"N-No problem," I replied, trying to fight the blush that was crawling up my neck. "...Um, can I have my hand back, please?"

If I wasn't mistaken, a little bit of red even found its way to his cheeks, "Sorry," he muttered, letting go of my hand.

"It's alright," I reassured him, "I guess I'll see you around...?" I asked more of a question than I said as a statement.

"Yeah," he nodded, the corner of his mouth twitching dangerously into a smile.

And with that, we both parted our separate ways, my heart fluttering at the near-civil conversation we just had.

...

A week since I had bumped into Brick in the hospital lobby and my monthly appointment with Sara was due. My pregnancy symptoms hadn't really changed much, but I had noticed a little more of a weight gain. In my fourth month, I was probably supposed to start showing, but thankfully- I wasn't yet. I was watching what I was eating and exercising in order to push off showing. I wasn't starving myself or doing anything that could hurt my baby, but I was taking a few extra steps to curb the weight gain.

I was called in by a nurse and I stepped into Sara's expansive office, "Hey, Sara!" I greeted her as I sat down in one of her cushioned chairs.

"Hello, Blossom," Sara sent me a warm smile, "How are things?"

"Things are going pretty well," I shrugged.

"Great," Sara nodded, jotting a few notes in my file, "You're pretty young, so we don't have to an amniocentesis at this point since the risks are minimal. Do you have any questions before we start the ultrasound?"

"Hmm..." I racked my brain for questions, "Oh! Is there a certain way I should be sleeping, because I was reading somewhere..."

"Yes," Sara answered, "It's better if you sleep on your left side because it'll maximize circulation. Anything else?" she asked gently. I shook my head. "Alright, let's get a look at your baby!"

She ran the ultrasound and even gave me a copy of it. My little baby was almost 4 and half inches long! It was even sucking its tiny little thumb. I couldn't help but grin at it's adorable-ness.

After the ultrasound, Sara looked a little upset. I wasn't sure if it was a cause for concern, so I asked her, "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, of course!" Sara exclaimed, "You are coming along just fine!"

"...Then what's wrong?" I sensed there was something she wasn't telling me.

She fidgeted a little, playing with her thumbs before finally looking up at me, "Blossom... I-You-It-" she looked for the right words, "You really remind me of myself when I was younger. You're intelligent, hard-working, driven..." she started.

I smiled, "Thanks, Sara. It means a lot." I was touched that I reminded her of a younger version of herself.

"I know this none of my business and extremely out of my place to say..." she started nervously, "I only say this because I care about you. Blossom, you should be on good terms with the father. No child should ever have feel abandoned by one of their parents."

I-I had no idea how to respond. Her words struck a chord in me, but there was no way I could ever tell Brick, "I can't," I replied, frustrated.

"Just think about it," Sara said softly, putting a hand on my shoulder, "You've got time. I just don't want your child to end up resenting you," she whispered.

"I'll think about it," I said finally. I gave her a little smile before grabbing the printout of my ultrasound and exiting. I should've stayed a little bit longer to hear what else Sara had to say.

"The biggest mistake I ever made was leaving _my_ babies," she murmured, tears welling up in her beautiful eyes. She took a tissue and sniffled, gently wiping away the tears, "They must hate me so much..."

...

I didn't know how I felt about Brick. I had convinced myself that I didn't like him and I was almost starting to hate him again until we actually had a civil conversation a week ago. After that, all those fluttering feelings came back and I started to fall for him again. As much as my mind told me it was the wrong thing to do, my heart wouldn't listen.

Either way, he wouldn't ever know the baby's his. He couldn't. But... Was it selfish of my to deny my child a father for my own pride? No! Brick was a hedonist. He wouldn't want any sort of responsibility, especially not a child. He'd turn it away. And my baby wouldn't only be abandoned, it'd be rejected too.

But Sara was right. I had to at least consider it while I had the time. I swallowed as I pulled out my keys and entered my office.

I was expecting a dark, empty room with a pile of files to sign, but instead I found a sobbing Bubbles spluttering on my desk. My eyes widened.

"Bubbles!" I exclaimed, "What happened?" I started to assume the worst.

At my voice, she looked up and I could tell by her eyes that she had been crying for a while. I softened. She sniffled and her tears stopped for a moment, but they soon started again. I ran over to her and wrapped my arms around my little sister.

"Boomer...Flowers...Princess...Cheated..." she choked out in between sobs.

"Oh my gosh," I whispered, running my hands through her hair soothingly, "Shhh," I murmured in an attempt to stop her tears.

She sniveled, "Blossom, it was awful!" she croaked, "Boomer's been cheating on me this whole time!"

"Shh," I rubbed circles in her back to calm her down. Finally, her shoulders gave out and she rested her weight on me, "Bubbles, let's go home. Come on."

...

It's been a whole week since Bubbles broke up with Boomer. She's been taking it really hard and it's had a ripple effect on Buttercup and I too. Butch's been out of the hospital for a while now, but Buttercup won't let him come to our place because his brother tore Bubbles's heart to pieces.

From my understanding, Butch and Buttercup are doing pretty good. She hasn't mentioned anything about Ace, so I'm not sure if he ever did go after her again.

Bubbles, on the other hand, has been a complete mess. She's told me bits and pieces of the story and from I've gathered, she walked in on Princess and Boomer in Boomer's classroom afterschool. I really hope it was all a big misunderstanding, because I'm positive Boomer and Bubbles are soulmates. They're perfect for each other.

Buttercup even suggested that Bubbles tell the whole thing to Mom who, also the head of the Townsville City Schools, could fire Boomer. But Bubbles is too sweet for that. Even still, we've stayed up every night with her and gorged on ice cream while watching sappy romances.

So to sum it up, Buttercup's love life's going great, Bubbles just got her heart broken and me... Well, I have no idea what's going on with me.

On one hand, I'm really trying to hate Brick, but on the other- every single time I've seen him, butterflies have flown into my stomach and I've felt this undeniable tugging in my heart. I just didn't know how I felt towards him and it was killing me. The spontaneous part of me wanted to be audacious and jump him the next time I see him but the logical side knew that if I confessed my feelings to him, he'd outright turn me down.

But I couldn't take it anymore. I _had _to see him. I _had _to know how I felt about Brick Jojo.

...

I parked my pink Prius in the parking garage of Townsville Office Park and tossed my whitecoat in the backseat. I quickly grabbed my purse and keys and left the car, entering the office buildings. I checked the directory for Brick Jojo's office and at finding it, I took the elevator to the fourth floor. I stepped into the ladies' bathroom to check my appearance before I approached Brick.

I fluffed my auburn hair out a little, fixing a random strand that was sticking up. I checked my pink eyeshadow and my black eyeliner and mascara- those all looked good. I pulled out my lipgloss and brushed the wand on my plump lips, applying a fresh coat of sparkling coral to them. After tossing my lipgloss back into my bag, I stepped back to look at my full-length reflection. I adjusted my salmon silk blouse with puffed short sleeves, a sash that tied at the waist and a deep V-neck, exposing a fair amount of cleavage. I fixed the straps on my pink push-up bra, brushed some lint off my black pin-stripe trousers and squished my feet around my rose peep-toe pumps.

I looked pretty good, if I could say so myself. There is no way Brick could say no to me now. I couldn't believe I had dressed up like this for a guy (it was kinda demeaning for an independent, feminist like myself), but I felt it was necessary to catch his attention, to see how he felt.

I _had _to know.

I grabbed my bag off the bathroom counter and stepped into the lobby of Brick's office. The secretary told me to go right in, so I did. Wanting to maintain the element of surprise, I opened the door of his office quietly as I stepped in. Brick was hunched over some paperwork on his desk, looking intently at the words on the paper. I took this moment to catch him off-guard.

"Hello, Brick Jojo."

His head snapped up at the sound of my voice and his eyes widened, then narrowed.

The ball was in my court and I counted the options I had before me.

"You miss me?" I asked, my lips curling into a smile.

...

**Don't forget to vote on the poll on my profile!**

**And don't forget to leave a review! You know I love those! :D**


	6. The Fifth Month

**Disclaimer: **Not mine!

**Author's Note: **Thanks for the reviews, all! I was thinking, I need some OCs for this fic, so should I like come up with a random number and whoever left that review give me an OC? Is that a bad idea?

Anyway, I do want to apologize to the Dexter and Princess fans. I think I made them a little meaner than I meant to :/

There's plenty of Brick/Blossom in this chappie and I've got some cool Bubbles/Boomer stuff planned, but I'm really drawing a blank with Buttercup/Butch. Help? D:

Okay, so this is a loooong chappie! Took me a while. I do hope y'all enjoy it! (:

...

_(As always, Blossom's POV)_

Brick smirked, "I'm beginning to think you're the one who missed me."

I chuckled, stepping forward coyly, "Brick, I missed you as much as a little kid misses steamed broccoli on pizza night." That wasn't a lie. I loved steamed broccoli as a kid. I still would if these crazy pregnancy symptoms weren't screwing with me.

"You must've missed me a lot. Broccoli was my favorite growing up," Brick leaned back casually in his leather chair.

I frowned. He liked broccoli too? We had something in common? "Okay, I'll just cut to the chase," I walked to his desk and pulled out a red file from my bag. "We need to reschedule a few court dates."

He raised an eyebrow as he grabbed the file and flipped through its contents, "You mean _all _of them?"

I shrugged, "Same difference."

"May I ask why?" Brick questioned, curious.

I bit my lip. I couldn't let him know that I had no lawyers right now, "I've just got some surgeries set for that day and I won't be able to make them," I replied smoothly. He gave me a knowing grin. I exhaled and slammed my hands on his desk. I leaned forward, so I could meet him eye-to-eye, the only thing between us his mahogany desk. I was perfectly aware of the view I was allowing him down my shirt and I was hoping I could work that my advantage. Hey, what's the point of having feminine wiles if you can't ever use them?

Brick smiled devilishly and I hoped it was because he pretty much getting a free show. "Blossom, don't _lie _to me. That hurts," he feigned sadness.

I licked my luscious lips and tried to play it cool, "What would I be lying about?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

Brick smirked, rested his elbows on the desk and leaned closer to me, "I know your little hospital has an attorney problem," he clarified, his warm (with a dash of... cinnamon?) breath encompassing me.

I froze. Damn it. He knew. I withdrew, stood up straight and crossed my arms across my chest, "How'd you know?"

"Well, I certainly don't feel compelled to answer your questions _now_," Brick stated. I glared. "But it doesn't matter how I know. What matters is that you're getting sued for millions of dollars next week and you can't do anything about it," Brick grinned.

Those words hit me like a sharp knife in the side. He was completely and utterly correct. I stood no chance if I didn't have my lawyers. I bit my lip and closed my eyes, trying to hold back any moisture. Damn these hormones. I couldn't cry in front of Brick.

Maybe it was because I was showing vulnerability. Maybe it was because he didn't really hate me. Maybe he did what he did because deep down, he cared about me.

"I'll bet the judge is going to be pissed when he finds out we've rescheduled these dates _again_," Brick finally said with a groan. I opened my eyes to see his warm smile and I knew he was serious.

"Thank you, Brick," I murmured. He nodded in response. I bit my lip. Okay, real reason I was here. Come on, Bloss, you got this. You can do this. Don't chicken out now. Look how far you've come. ...Okay, I suck at peptalks. I just need to come out an say it. I took in a deep breath, "Brick, maybe you're not such a horrible, terrible human being..."

"...Thank you..?" Brick looked at me quizzically. "Back at ya, Blossom," he responded.

I couldn't stop my lips from twitching into a smile, "Thanks. ...Friends?" I stuck out my hand for him to shake. Well, this is it. He can shake my hand and affirm that we could be friends (and maybe in the future, more) or he could leave me hanging there awkwardly.

Thankfully, he did not choose the latter. His calloused, yet gentle, hand took mine and shook it firmly. "Yeah, I guess I could live with that," he smirked. "I'll see you... whenever our new courtdates are."

"It's a courtdate!" I called out as I turned around to leave. From the look on his face as I left, I think Brick would agree that I made the right choice when I put on this pair of tight trousers.

And I think I could agree that this was a success.

Blossom Utonium and Brick Jojo were friends.

_Friends_!

...

It had been a week since Brick and I decided to be friends and I was due for my mid-pregnancy appointment. I was exactly half-way through my pregnancy! Wow! The first half wasn't too hard, but this second part was going to be intense.

My symptoms had increased from just mood swings, hungriness and peeing all the time to aches in my lower abdomen, backaches, occasional dizziness, constipation and even a little heartburn. My tummy was growing rapidly and I knew I couldn't keep this a secret any longer. I had gained ten pounds already and my uterus was almost the size of a cantaloupe. I even felt my very first kick! Nowadays, I have this instinctive urge to rest my hand on my growing swell, but I have to fight it or else I'll draw too much attention to that area.

But, despite all the problems I was having, I had this glow to my face and I was, honestly, excited. I was going to be a mother! That feeling just... I couldn't put to words to it. It was amazing.

The elevator dinged and I left my thoughts as I stepped out of it and walked to Sara's office. I stepped into the lobby and saw probably my least favorite person in the world...

"Princess? What are you doing here?" I asked, confused at seeing her. Why _was_ she here?

Princess scoffed, "What are you doing here, _Blossom_?"

"I work here?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Well," Princess said snootily, ignoring me, "If you must know, I'm here for prenatal care."

Prenatal care? She was _pregnant_? "You're... Seeking prenatal care?" I asked incredulously. Her being pregnant wasn't surprising (I mean, come on. Princess slept around. Everyone knew that!), but if she was seeking prenatal care, that meant she planned on keeping the baby. Now _that _was a shocker.

"I thought you were the smart one," Princess jeered, "It means I'm pregnant."

I rolled my eyes, "I knew that, Princess. Well, congratulations," I shrugged, "Hope you and your baby live happy lives together," I wished genuinely. Being a mom-to-be made me a nicer person, and I wasn't sure what else I could say to her.

"...Thanks," Princess replied, obviously surprised at my goodwill. "Well, Blossom, aren't you going to ask who the father is?"

I wasn't. It wasn't my business. Plus, Princess herself probably didn't know.

She didn't wait for me to respond, "I guess you wouldn't know him. I mean, he's rich, affluent, and successful. So no one you'd be aware of," she flipped her hair and gave a little victorious smirk.

Okay, that's it. "Try me," I grit my teeth.

She shrugged, "It's no use, but whatever. The father of my baby is Brick Jojo."

At the sound of his name, my eyes widened and I felt my body go numb. Brick? _My _Brick? The father of my baby was the father of Princess's too? I swallowed in shock, and if I wasn't so consumed in my own surprise, I would've noticed Sara behind me. She had heard our entire conversation and she too was frozen solid.

"Well?" Princess scoffed, "You are such a loser, Blossom. Whatever."

I frowned, "Goodbye, Princess."

She rolled her eyes, let out her little snobby wave and walked out of the office lobby.

I, however, was still numb. Logically, I guess it made sense because Brick and Princess did go out for a while, but a part of me had this feeling that Princess was up to no good. The only reason she was keeping the baby was probably just to force Brick to get back with her. But I doubt her plan would work. I mean, it _was _Brick. I let out the breath I forgot I was holding in as I turned to go to Sara's office. I was surprised to see Sara standing in the doorway, her eyes wide.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked, pleasantly surprised. I was slowly thawing, but I was still shocked.

"I just wanted to come get you myself," Sara explained. Then, quietly, "Blossom, what did Princess say about Brick Jojo?"

I gave a quizzical glance before answering her question, "She just said he was the father of her baby," I swallowed. I felt hot tears well up in the corner of my eyes. Brick was _mine_. How this happen to Princess too?

Sara softened, "Blossom, what happened?"

"Brick's the father of my baby too," I blurted. I let those tears fall, staining my face with red splotches and wetness. Sara gave me a comforting smile as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders and led me to her office.

"Blossom," she said gently, handing me a tissue. I sniffled, taking the tissue and wiping the damp spots on my face.

"Sorry," I croaked. "I just... I can't believe it... I know Brick's supposed hate me, but we were making real progress... I really thought we had something special," I whispered.

Sara bit her lip, almost apprehensive to show any emotion. Finally, she let out a content smile to herself, as if she was happy with my relationship with Brick. "I'm sure he'll come around, sweetie," she said reassuringly, "Princess doesn't hold a candle to you."

"T-Thanks," I wiped the last of my tears away. "I don't know what's going to happen with me and Brick, but..." I trailed. Suddenly, I was curious. Why was Sara talking to me about this? And why was she interested in Brick earlier? She knew something about him... But what? "Do you know Brick?" I asked curiously.

Sara stiffened at the mention of his name and I instantly regretted asking. The look of sadness, regret and pain flashed in her normally sparkling eyes. I couldn't say I wasn't still curious though. Actually, examining her face, she shared a lot of features with Brick... The red hair and creamy skin being the obvious ones, but her nose, cheekbones and chin resembled Brick's. She was probably old enough to be his mother...

"Okay, let's get started with your appointment. I'll bet we'll find out the gender today," Sara grinned. I grinned too, getting really excited all of a sudden.

She led me to the examining chair as she rolled up my crimson blouse and spread the cool gel on my slightly swollen abdomen. She brought out the ultrasound handheld and rubbed it across my belly, but instead of the screen facing me, it was facing her. I could she was smiling as she scrolled along, so that must've meant nothing major was wrong.

"Well?" I asked excitedly. "What am I having? A boy or a girl?" I had to suppress the urge to squeal.

"Both!" Sara replied happily.

"B-Both?" I whispered. Oh my gosh! My child was _both_? It didn't matter to me, but... Society wasn't so friendly to people who weren't completely one gender. How could I bring up my little boy (and girl) without him (and her!) feeling terrible about him(and her!)self. "I..."

Sara laughed at my somber reaction. How could she laugh at something like this? "Blossom, I _meant _you're having twins," she turned around the screen for me to see two little fetuses beside each other.

I squealed, "Oh my gosh!" I waved my hands zealously, "_Twins_?" What a relief!

"One boy, one girl," Sara clarified. I couldn't stop smiling. "Congratulations."

I could feel my eyes dampen, but the tears were ones of joy. "W-Why didn't we know it was twins before?" I inquired.

Sara shrugged, "One of them probably was in front of the other last month when we did this. It's not uncommon," she responded. "But both of them are looking _great_! And at this point in time, they've both developed reflexes like yawning, stretching, smiling and frowning."

I was ebullient! Twins! _Twins_! I eagerly listened as she told me more about my future children, but my mind was still bouncing. We talked a little more about my babies but my appointment was over soon. She gave me a print-out of the ultrasound and I decided I would get it framed.

As I left her office, I pulled out my phone and dialed Bubbles's and Buttercup's numbers. I _had_ to tell them; we could conference.

"_'Sup, Bloss?_" Buttercup replied to my call.

"_Blossom! Did you have your appointment?_" Bubbles asked giddily.

"I'm doing great and yes, I just had my appointment. Guess what I'm having?" I grinned.

"_What are you waiting for?_" Buttercup exclaimed.

"_Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!_" Bubbles was probably bouncing up and down right now.

"I'm having twins! A boy and a girl!" I answered.

"_OMIGOSH!_" Bubbles cried.

"_Congrats, sis_," Buttercup replied, "_So we get a niece _and_ a nephew?_"

"Yup! I'm so-" Just then, my phone beeped, signaling that someone was trying to call me on the other line. "I'm getting another call, but I'll talk to you girls at home! Love you!" I hung up on them and pulled my phone off my ear to see who had called me.

The ID read 'Dexter'. Ugh. I clicked the red button, rejecting his call, and shoved my phone into my pocket. I had agreed to lunch with him today, but that didn't mean I was going to talk to the guy more than I had to.

...

About six months ago, my long-time boyfriend Dexter and I split ways. He said I hindered his research and that he needed to get away and I never got love or affection from him anymore. It gotten pretty messy. It wasn't the break-up that bothered me, I guess it was the entire relationship. I really cared about him... I did everything for the guy and in the beginning he was really sweet, but as our relationship progressed, he opted for his experiments over me. It came to the point where I was completely ignored and left playing second fiddle to a lab. In retrospect, I wasn't upset after our split because Dexter left me, I was frustrated that I had wasted all my time and effort in a guy who didn't care about me. In a guy that took me for granted.

It hurt. I always thought Dexter would be the last person to do that in a world of jerks, but I was wrong. I hated that I fell for him and he pretty much used me. I was never going back to a guy like him. Especially not since I met a guy like Brick. Brick... Brick was nothing like Dexter. The feelings I had around him were emotions I never felt during my year-long relationship with Dexter.

So when Dexter called me up and asked me eat a -friendly- lunch with him, I was wary at first. But he seemed genuine and it had been a while since I'd seen him last. I agreed, thinking it couldn't hurt, but after saying yes, he's been calling me like _all _the time. I really don't want to talk that much to him; I'm only meeting him at that restaurant for... I don't even know why...

"Blossom!" Dexter stood up and waved as I stepped into the restaurant. I forced a smile as I walked over and took a seat in front of him. "Greetings."

"Hello, Dexter," I said congenially. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Have you gained weight?" Dexter asked objectively.

I narrowed my eyes in anger. How dare he ask that! "Excuse me?" I said, my voice dangerously low. Okay, I was wrong. This was going to be terrible.

I think I scared him into silence because he didn't say a word to me until we had gone through our appetizers and entrees. It was during dessert that he started again.

"You must be curious as to why I've invited you to lunch today," Dexter started. I slowly nodded as I took a bite of my chocolate cake. He continued, "After the end of our romantic relationship, I noticed a direct decline in my research and my productivity. I have tried an assortment of remedies, but alas," Dexter looked down, then back up at me, "None have been an adequate substitute for your emotional and occasionally intellectual support."

"Are you saying you want to get back with me because _your research is less productive_?" I exclaimed, outraged. "This whole lunch was a ploy to get me back?"

Dexter shrugged, "Call it what you want. But it is the truth."

"I-You just expect me to come back to you? Like that?" I asked, incredulously. Maybe I was overreacting. Whatever, pregnancy hormones.

"Blossom, I meant..." Dexter tried to explain himself. The waiter came by and dropped off the check, and after splitting the bill, Dexter suggested we take a walk. He didn't say anything for a while until, "I apologize for what I said earlier. It was not polite of me."

I huffed. I wasn't okay with it, but I couldn't leave an apology hanging, "It's okay."

"Blossom, is there any chance we'll get back together?" Dexter asked, stopping to turn towards me, his hands fidgeting behind his back.

I gave him an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry Dexter, I've moved on." Dexter was being really considerate and I appreciated that.

At my response, he glowered, "You're making a mistake, Blossom. You'll never-"

Never mind. Scratch that. "I'll never _what_?" I spat. Damn mood swings. "Be taken for granted like that ever again?"

"You'll never find anyone better than me!" Dexter threw his hands in the air. "Don't you see that?"

"No, I don't see-" my train of thought was cut short.

"Blossom, babe!" a strong set of arms wrapped around my waist as they pulled me closer into a kiss. I had no idea who it was, and I really didn't care as long as it got me away from Dexter. I mean, after all- Brick! It was Brick! No one else kisses that well. Erm, insert nervous chuckle here.

I grinned, "Brick," I turned around to face him, so incredibly relieved.

"Is this guy bothering you?" Brick asked, scanning gaunt Dexter intensely in intimidation.

Dexter paled, "Not at all. It was nice seeing you, Blossom," he said hurriedly as he left.

After he rushed off, I let out a sigh of relief, "I can't thank you enough for that, Brick," I said earnestly.

Brick grinned, "No prob. Crazy exes are the worst," he replied. Crazy exes... Did that include Princess? Does he know about his baby with her?

"Tell me about it. Anyways... Speaking of exes..." I started, trying to be subtle, "Have you talked to Princess lately?"

At the mention of her name, his eyes immediately darkened, "Yeah. And I bet you have too. She tell you she's pregnant with my kid?"

"Y-Yeah, actually she did," I replied, a little surprised at the tone of his voice. He seemed angry. "Are you alright?" I asked.

Brick shrugged, "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just kinda pathetic of her to do that. I've been slammed with more than enough paternity suits to know better. She's a whore and I don't believe for a second that the kid's mine," he finished coolly. I couldn't believe he actually just said that!

"So all women who get pregnant are whores?" I spat.

Brick raised an eyebrow, "What's wrong with you?" he reached out to put an arm on my shoulder.

"Nothing," I shrugged away his hand, "You're an ass, Brick. Imagine what Princess is going through right now!" I nearly yelled, "You've got no right to talk about her like that!"

"It's public information," Brick said slowly, "Why are you so riled up?"

"Because, Brick Jojo, you're a douche. I don't ever want to see your face again!" I screamed before storming off.

...

The other day, Boomer called our house and I picked up by accident. I guess I just didn't realize it was him until it was too late. On the phone, he was begging me to meet him so he could explain his side of the story. I felt sorry for him, and I hated seeing Bubbles not happy, so I went out to meet him. Hopefully we'd be able to sort things out.

I don't care if my life's screwed up, but I don't want my sister's to be. Brick probably hates me after I yelled at him like that last week. But what he said was unbelievable... How could he talk so casually about those things? There was no way I could tell him about my (our...) babies now.

Back to Boomer. This better be good...

"Boomer, you've got five minutes to explain yourself," I told the blond. "I'm only here because I care about Bubbles."

"Good, because I care about her too," Boomer replied, shaking me away from my thoughts. "And just hear me out! It was a complete misunderstanding..."

_(Flashback- Omniscient POV)_

_It was almost three and Bubbles would be here soon. Her kindergarten class got over ten minutes after the high school's 7th period was dismissed and Bubbles always came over to Boomer's classroom to keep him company._

_Today was an early-dismissal day, so Bubbles got off work a little earlier. She decided to surprise Boomer, but he had no clue. In fact, as soon as class got over, he was surprised enough by the appearance of an old... 'friend'._

_"Princess?" Boomer looked at her quizzically. "What are you doing here? And what are those flowers for?"_

_Princess looked down to the bouquet of yellow flowers in her hands and shrugged, "It was from one of my many admirers. But I came here because I need some help. I need to ask you a question, Boomer... About your brother."_

_"Which one?" Boomer asked slowly, knowing that talking to Princess was like walking on thin ice; it never ended well._

_"Brick," Princess answered, rolling her eyes, "Who else would I be talking about? Anyway, what does he say about me?"_

_"He's never really mentioned you..." Boomer replied, knowing it was a lie. Brick had complained about Princess in the past, but Boomer didn't want to hurt any feelings._

_"Oh," Princess looked taken aback, "Well, surely he talks about me! Think harder!"_

_"Well, I..." Boomer wasn't sure what to say. _

_"Ugh, this is hopeless!" Princess groaned. Suddenly, her frown turned upside down, curling into a smile, "Say, Boomer, you don't have a girlfriend, do you?"_

_ "Yeah, actually I do..." Boomer inched away from Princess. In response, she just pressed closer to him. _

_"What do you say about her?" she asked curiously._

_Boomer wasn't sure where Princess was going with this, but he didn't see any reason to not reply, "Well, I don't really talk to my brothers about her, but I tell her that..." Boomer paused, "Well, I want to tell her that, 'You're the most beautiful girl in the world. I think I'm in love with you because you're absolutely the most wonderful person I've ever met and-'"_

_"Boomer Jojo, you stop right there!" a soft, shaking voice commanded._

_"Bubbles!" Boomer spun around to see his beautiful blonde girlfriend's eyes red with tears. Suddenly, he became aware of what the situation looked like. "No! God, NO! It's not what you think!"_

_Bubbles lip quivered, "Boomer, I can't believe you! I really, _really _liked you and you're here all over Princess? You got her flowers and you said those things to her?" Bubbles exclaimed. She wiped her tears with the corner of her sleeve, "We are _over_! I never want to you ever again, Boomer Jojo! Congratulations, you broke my heart!" she cried before running off._

_"Bubbles, wait!" Boomer called out after her. He pushed Princess off of him and dashed out of his classroom to see where she went, but it was too late._

_"Wow, what a loser," Princess scoffed, "I never liked her or her sisters anyway," she said snootily._

_"Shut up, Princess. And get out of my classroom," Boomer demanded bitterly._

_(End of Flashback- Back to Blossom POV)_

"W-Wow," was all I could muster, "It was really a big misunderstanding?"

Boomer nodded earnestly, "Blossom, these past few weeks without Bubbles have been the worst."

"If it was all an accident, then why didn't you tell her?" I asked.

"You don't think I _tried_?" Boomer exclaimed. "She won't answer her phone or her messages and she unfriended me on Facebook. Blossom, she hates me!"

"No she doesn't," I shook my head, "Boomer, she's been miserable too. I've never seen her this hung up over a guy. Ever. And there's been a lot of guys."

"R-Really?" Boomer choked out.

I nodded my head, "You two are meant for each other," I told him, "I'll figure something out and let you know, alright?"

"Wow, thank you so much, Blossom!" Boomer said thankfully. "You're the best!"

I smiled and nodded my head, "I know."

...

After leaving Boomer, I had put some thought into how I could get him back with Bubbles as I walked home. There was a lot of options before me, but I had to pick something that'd work. Unfortunately, as I walked by the park, my thoughts were interrupted by an obnoxious Jojo.

"Hey there, Doc. Looking niiiice."

I spun around to see Butch Jojo grinning licentiously at me and I glared, "Don't you have a girlfriend to go bother?" I raised an eyebrow.

He shrugged as he walked over to me, falling to my pace, "I skipped my follow-up appointment with you and I heard that was bad, so-"

"So you're trying to make it up while I'm on my walk?" I finished for him. I stopped, as did he, and I took a look at him. I peered around for his scrapes, that looked like they healed and the CT scan from right before his discharge was clear, so his concussion had healed. I was about to tell him he was fine until I something out of the corner of my eye. It looked like a black-haired girl of Buttercup's build in a steamy liplock with a tall, greasy-haired, almost green-skinned man who looked like-

Ace. It _was _Ace. Oh god, it was Buttercup too! What were they doing in the middle of the park? Kissing in broad daylight? Anyone could see them, including Butch. Oh, god.

"Hmm, I think there might be minor disphageal scarring on your right side," I randomly made up some medical mumbo-jumbo to keep Butch's attention. Oooh, Buttercup better have a good explanation for this!

Butch paled, "Is that bad?" he swallowed, nervous.

"Well, it can be if it's not spotted early enough," I reassured him. I was just distracting him, I didn't want to scare him!

"Okay, okay..." Butch started to nod slowly, "Do I need to get to a hospital?"

"Actually, it affects your optical nerves," I continued my improvisation, "So you should turn away from the sun so your eyes aren't strained," I gripped his shoulders and turned him so that his back was completely facing Buttercup.

"What do I need to do, Doc?" Butch asked.

"Well, there are a few-"

"What the _hell_?" Butch saw a reflection in the window of a car parked on the side of the street. He spun around to see Ace and Buttercup ending their kiss and he turned red. I heard a growl as he rolled up his sleeves and stormed over to Ace.

"Butch! What are you doing here?" Buttercup cried. As he readied to punch the lights out of Ace, Buttercup held him back, "Are you fricking insane? What are you doing?"

"Punching this slimeball. Why the hell were his lips all over yours?" Butch said menacingly as he grabbed Ace's collar and lifted him off the ground. But Ace wasn't fazed. That stupid self-satisfied grin was slapped on his face.

"I think Butters would know the answer to that," Ace said wickedly. Butch looked over to Buttercup, raising an eyebrow, as if to ask 'can I hurt him already?'.

"I..." Buttercup started, "I kissed him."

"What?" Butch whispered, dropping Ace unceremoniously on the ground, "It was _y__ou_? Why?" Butch asked, his voice barely a whisper.

...

It had been three weeks since I talked to Brick last, two since I ran into Boomer and Butch. I had no idea what was going on between Buttercup and Butch and I still hadn't come up with a genius plan to get Bubbles and Boomer back together, but in my defense, I've been super busy lately.

Not only have I been operating and seeing patients like usual, but I've been running around trying to gather evidence for those lawsuits. I've had to sort through piles of paperwork and revisit surgeries from months ago to collect information that would support me, but I still haven't been able to find much. It's not that I'm a bad doctor and I really did mess up (because I _know _I didn't!), I'm just a bad at being a lawyer. And to top it all off, I was freaking _pregnant_!

I was eating all the time and it was definitely starting to show. What I had three weeks when I last saw Sara was barely anything. My abdomen was expanding and my pregnancy would be pretty clear in a few weeks. I had bought a few maternity clothes already, but thankfully, I didn't need them yet. Today, I was wearing this cute baby pink blouse that billowed around my tummy, hiding my growing swell. A pair of white trousers and an unbuttoned white sparkly sweater, along with pink swirly dangling earrings and pink pumps, finished off the outfit.

In short, I looked pretty good. But that wasn't going to stop me from getting sued. Hell, I didn't even _know _when I was getting sued. Brick still hadn't faxed over our new courtdates. Ugh. Maybe Isabelle could help.

"Has Mr. Jojo's office sent the rescheduling of our cases yet?" I asked her. "It's been weeks since I asked him to," I told Isabelle, "Do you have them?" I asked her, leaning against her desk.

She shook her head, "No, I haven't recieved any new dates, but his office faxed this over a few hours ago," she handed me a piece of paper.

"Thanks, Isabelle," I took it with a smile as I headed back to my office. I wonder what it said...?

_Blossom,_

_I reviewed the cases I filed against you and came to the conclusion that my evidence wasn't substantial. In light of this conclusion, I have no other choice than to drop the fourteen cases. So don't expect any rescheduled courtdates._

_Brick_

He... He... He completely dropped every case he was going to sue me for.

What the _hell_?

...

I kept rereading his fax over and over again, looking for the clue that would signal to me that it was a joke. But I couldn't find it. And it was unnerving. Sure, if he really did drop the cases, I was getting off the hook. I could stop freaking out about all of those lawsuits and finally focus on some more important things. But... After what I said to him that day in the park... If he dropped those cases, something must've changed. And I was getting a bad feeling that it wasn't a good change.

Maybe it was the hormone oxycotin kicking in, giving me these overly caring (almost maternal) instincts, but I sensed that something was wrong with Brick. I think I was genuinely worried. My mind was on Brick as I sped down the highway. Finally, the exit came and pulled into the parking lot of Townsville Office Park. I parked my car, entered the building, hopped up the stairs and headed for his office. I could see the office was empty, only Brick laying his head on his desk.

I knocked softly, alerting him of my presence as I walked into his expansive office. His head slowly rose up and I took a closer look at the man before me; he was a mess. His hair was disheveled, his eyes surrounded by bags of weariness, an empty bottle of scotch on the floor beside me. Oh my gosh, what happened?

"Brick, are you alright?" I asked softly.

"Yeah, whatever," Brick muttered.

"Why did you drop those lawsuits?" I stepped closer to him, clutching my purse to my side, desperate to hold onto something. It was terrifying seeing Brick, one of the strongest, most self-sufficient and self-confident men I knew, like this.

"I told you," he replied tersely, rubbing his sullen eyes. "Do you _want_ me to sue you?"

"Of course not," I answered gently, taking another step towards his desk. As I did, an envelope on the mahogany wood came into my sight. It was placed as far away as he could put it, but I soon realized it wasn't distant from his thoughts. "What's that?" I asked, motioning to the beige envelope.

Brick shut his eyes tightly as he replied, "A letter from my mother."

I smiled, "That's great! Why haven't you opened it yet?" I tilted my head to one side, looking at him.

"Because I never had a mom," Brick murmured. I felt my heart thump out of my chest.

Okay, our mom died when we were born, but Ms. Keane filled her shoes and loved us like we were her own. She nurtured us since that day we stepped into her kindergarten classroom and she never let us feel like we didn't have a mother.

So, I didn't know what to say to Brick... I wasn't as unfortunate as he was, but I knew he'd hate it I showed pity. Instead of saying anything, I moved to his side and rested my hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

He softened at my gesture and continued, "Our dad may have been eccentric, he may have had his quirks, but he loved us. He took care of us. He never turned his back on us like our mother did."

"Brick..." I whispered, my heart going out to him.

He swallowed, "He loved her so much... I never understood why. It hurt him too much to talk about her. He only told us about her once... When we turned ten. But he never mentioned her again."

"What'd he say?" I asked, gently. I looked into his deep eyes, giving him a reassuring smile. It was easy to tell that Brick had been bottling this up and it was time for him to let it out.

"He said that we were just like her. Boomer was caring and sensitive, like she was. Butch was persistent and dedicated, just like her. And me? I was strong, intelligent and had a heart of gold... Just like she did," Brick closed his eyes, trying to hold back his emotions.

"She sounds like a great person," I commented, trying to uplift the somber mood.

Brick's eyes turned red as anger flashed in his orbs, "No, Blossom! Don't you see?" he exclaimed, "If she was so great, why did she leave us? Why did she _abandon _her children? What kind of heartless bitch could do that?"

I was frozen in shock, "Brick, how could you say that about your own _mother_? I know what she did was terrible, but-"

"She had her reasons, right?" Brick smirked sardonically, his voice dripping with bitterness. He gave a mirthless laugh, "And when I asked Dad why she left? You know what he said? He said that was she was young; that she had dreams. She wanted to be a _doctor_."

It all made sense now.

That's why Brick hated doctors so much. His own mother left him to go to medical school and he grew up feeling abandoned and rejected. His feelings festered and his hatred for medical professionals probably grew and since he had had no stable female figure in his life, he went from woman to woman. He wasn't in a stable relationship because he didn't know _how_. He didn't have the love and affection of a mother growing up and as a adult, he didn't know how to give that to another woman.

I didn't know what to say. I mean, what could I? I wrapped my arms around Brick, engulfing him a warm, caring hug.

He was about to start another tirade, but my embrace silenced him. Instead of yelling out his frustrations, he rested his chin on my shoulder and let them all melt away.

"I hate her," he finally murmured, his forehead resting on the crook of my neck.

"Brick..." I pulled back from the hug so I could see him eye-to-eye, "I know she left and I know that must have hurt you so much, but... You don't even know her," I said gently, "You're a great guy and I think you should give her a chance to be a part of your life. Maybe you'll actually like her," I suggested with a warm smile as I peeled open the envelope and handed him the folded letter.

Brick's eyes narrowed, "I don't want to. She doesn't deserve a second chance. Not after what she did," he said venomously as he balled up her letter and violently threw it in the trashcan.

"Don't do it for her. Do it for you," I pulled out the letter and uncrinkled, handing it to Brick, "If you don't at least read this, you'll be questioning this moment for the rest of your life."

Brick couldn't think of a reply until he finally let out a grunt of agreement, snatching the letter from my hand.

"Go on," I whispered encouragingly. He took in a deep breath as he looked down at the parchment and read it aloud.

_My dearest Brick,_

_I've heard so many wonderful things about you from the people of this town. They say you're an amazing man. It makes me proud to think I supplied such an incredible person with half of his genome, but I'm so ashamed I can't call myself your mother._

_I know you must hate me. If you're anything like me at all, Brick, you must be harboring a terrible hatred for me. It's understandable, justified, completely warranted. What I did to you and your two brothers was horrible and absolutely unforgivable. You probably don't want the least to do with me._

_You're asking yourself, 'Why did this cruel bitch write to me _now_?'. It's been 25 years since she left me and she's just decided to contact me? To be honest, Brick, I'm surprised this letter isn't sitting in the trash and that you're actually reading this. But... Brick, I wanted to come back into your life. I really, really did. _

_But I couldn't. I couldn't cause any more pain to you, your brothers, or your father. I kept telling myself that if I stayed out of your lives, you'd forget me, heal and move on. But I knew I created a hole in your heart that would never be healed. And everyday, I knew that hole would get bigger._

_Brick, I want you to know that I love you. I love you so much. I have been awful at showing it, but I promise, not a day goes by that I don't think of you, your brothers and Moe. I am so ashamed that I abandoned you. That I hurt you. Brick, it hurts me so much that I've hurt you._

_I apologize for the tear stains on this letter. I doubt a few words written on some fancy paper will change your mind and opinion of me, but I needed to let you know how much I care about you. If you never want to see me, I completely understand. But if you do, I will always be available. _

_Sincerely,_

"Okay, I can't read that signature," Brick finished. He put the paper down and looked at me for my response. I knew I must've looked terrible, with tears flowing down my face. But that letter was so powerful... I wiped my tears and gave Brick a confident smile.

"That was beautiful," I murmured.

He simply nodded, opened a desk drawer, placed the letter inside and looked back up at me. Rubbing his eyes a final time and running a hand through his rich red hair, he said, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," I said simply. He frowned. "Brick, it's okay to be human."

I thought I didn't care about him. I thought I had convinced myself that he was jerk. But he wasn't. He was cocky, arrogant and self-assured. He was annoying, angry and a pig. But he was human. He had feelings and frustrations and emotions just like everyone else. He had this charm and when I was with him, I always felt complete.

Brick was far from perfect. But then again, so was I. But I think we were perfect for each other.

"To answer your earlier question, Blossom," Brick returned to his usual composure, "I have no interest in wasting my time suing you anymore."

I grinned, "That's great," I replied, relieved. Looks like good ol' Brick is back.

"And if we could completely forget _this_ ever happened, that'd be great too," Brick added.

"Not a chance," I responded with a warm smile. Brick glared. "I think it's really sweet that you opened up to me."

Brick let out a defeated smile, "Yeah, well, I know I can trust you, Blossom," he replied.

Suddenly, I felt awkward. Even after those horrible things I called him, he still felt comfortable around me? "Brick," I looked down, afraid to face him, "I'm sorry about what I said a few weeks ago," I heard my voice crack as tears formed in the corner of my eyes. God, I could _not _cry again! But it was true, I really was sorry. But I was terrified too. If Brick reacted like that to Princess, there was no way I could ever tell him about me!

"Don't be," he mirrored my earlier statement.

"I should be," I whispered. "It was terrible of me to say." It really was. He had no idea why I was so frustrated and I don't think he ever would. I don't think he'll ever know.

"Blossom, shut up," Brick demanded, his signature smirk upon his lips. I was about to respond, but he cut me off with a breathtaking kiss.

"Brick..." I murmured as I pulled away from the kiss, "I like you," I blurted out.

"I like you too," Brick whispered, grinning back at me.

...

**Blossom's having twins! I wonder what she'll name them...? If you've got some cute name ideas, leave 'em in a review!**

**I really hoped y'all enjoyed this. And if you've got some Buttercup/Butch plot ideas, PLEASE don't hesitate to let me know! **

**And as always, I do love reviews. They make me feel all happy and fuzzy inside. So leave one! Tee hee C:**


	7. The Sixth Month

**Disclaimer: **Me no owney!

**Author's Note**: Okay, I just want to start by saying THANKS SO MUCH! I got so many nice reviews! Tee hee, thanks for reading and reviewing and enjoying and faving and all that good stuff, y'all! Thank you and I'm so glad you like the fic! Sorry for taking a little extra time with this update. I've just been super busy lately! Aah! D: But this is super long (like twice my average), so hopefully that makes up for it.

There will be a little POV Shifting towards the end. Just saying.

And thanks for the Buttercup/Butch idea, **amythist7**. I 'preciate it!

I'm still working on names and trying to pick out the ones I like, so the poll for that might not come out until later. If you still have ideas, send them in!

So, at the longest update I've ever written at 10,000-something words... With no further ado!...

Enjoy! :D

...

_(Blossom's POV)_

"R-Really?" I had to stop to make sure I wasn't dreaming... (No, I never dreamed about Brick!) "You do?" I asked, still breathless.

"Yeah," Brick smirked, clearly enjoying the sight of me flustered. "If you like me a lot..." he started, a little bit of hesitation in his voice, "Why don't you have dinner with me tomorrow night?"

"Are you asking me on a date, Brick Jojo?" I brought my nose to his so that our lips were barely grazing. Before, I was sitting on his desk, facing him, but gradually I had moved closer to the man in front of me. Now, I was seated comfortably in his lap, my legs propped up on the right armrest of his chair, my arms wrapped gingerly around his neck.

Brick grinned, "I guess I am," he replied, catching my lips with his own. His arms grazed lower, until one was at my waist, the other at my hips. And then, at the most inopportune time possible, I felt a tug in my abdomen. That was one of the babies! "...What was that?" Brick asked, curious. He just felt our baby! What was I supposed to tell him?

"Muscle spasm. I've had a few weird ones lately," I replied, trying my hardest to be nonchalant.

"Okay..." Brick replied unsurely, the smirk returning to his lips.

I smiled as I pulled back, my arms still looped around his neck, "What are we, Brick?" I asked seriously.

He shrugged, "We've been beating around the bush for months, Blossom. Do you really want to use labels now?"

I swallowed. I needed labels. I needed a sense of stability. Maybe not for me, but for my babies, "Yes, I do. Problem?" I raised an eyebrow.

Brick closed his eyes in thought, then flashed them open again. I could see the hint of playfulness spark in his crimson orb as he asked, "Blossom Utonium, do you want to go out with me?"

I flushed. He was asking me out! He wanted me to be his girlfriend! "You want me to be your girlfriend?" I reiterated, incredulous. He smirked in affirmation. "Alright. I think I'd like that," I whispered huskily.

"Me too," Brick replied before pulling me in for another warm kiss.

...

It had been a week since my lovely dinner date with Brick Jojo and we were official. I hadn't told anyone about us, but it was really nice having a boyfriend. Brick didn't know about the twins yet, but I didn't want to tell him. I knew it was awful of me to withhold such information from him, but I couldn't face the fact that he might leave me. I couldn't give up this happiness. At least, not yet.

I took a long look at myself in the mirror. My hair had grown out past my shoulders and my complexion was clear and aglow. My eyes were almost a shade of rose and my coral lips were curled in a smile. I was wearing a long, pink floral sleeveless nightgown with a lace neckline and hem. I had definitely gained some weight and it had spread out quite evenly, though most of it collected in my breasts. Oh yeah, I'd gained two cup sizes in the past few months. A swell on my belly was more and more evident, but I was taking conscious steps on hiding it. My lower back and feet were sore _all _the time, but it wasn't anything I couldn't deal with.

I knew there wasn't much point in hiding my pregnancy any longer considering that in a few weeks, _everyone_ would know, but... I just needed time. I just needed to-

"BLOSSOM!" I heard my sister Bubbles yell, interrupting my from my thoughts. I took one last look in the full-length mirror in front of me before leaving the my room to find Bubbles. As I stepped out of my room, I saw that she was in the den, holding up a magazine, her lip quivering. I felt an instant pang of guilt at seeing her and Buttercup, who was standing beside her unhappy as well, with that magazine in her arms.

"What is this?" Bubbles asked softly, her voice shaky.

"It's..." I started, unable to find words. "It's..."

"Wrong!" Buttercup snapped. "It's a housing catalogue. I think the better question is, why is there a mansion here circled in red pen?"

It was true. I was looking into buying a house. Growing up in the crime-ridden downtown of Townsville wouldn't be right for my children. I needed to find a warm, nurturing place to live and raise my little girl and boy in. There was an affluent suburb a few miles out of town with a large house on foreclosure. Not only was it dirt cheap, but it was a great place and it was still in commutable distance to work.

"I'm moving," I replied simply. "I can't raise my kids here," I added softly.

"But what about us?" Bubbles cried, tears forming in her eyes.

"I'm not leaving you guys! We're still going to be sisters. I just need to find a place where I can have a family!" I defended myself.

"We're your family too, you know," Buttercup replied, poignant.

"I know," I whispered. "I'll miss you girls."

"How will we afford this place on our own?" Bubbles asked, on the verge of tears.

"I'll help," I shrugged. It wouldn't be a major cost. I made plenty of money.

"I think what Bubbles is trying to say is..." Buttercup started, her lip twitching into a smile. "Won't that big old house be lonely?"

"What...?" I asked. I wasn't getting whatever they were trying to imply.

"Omigosh!" Bubbles exclaimed. "Buttercup is SO right! We should totally move in with you! We can help take care of little Jimmy and Samantha!"

I couldn't help but grin, "You guys _want _to move in with me?" I asked incredulously. "Seriously?"

"It'll be fun," Buttercup added.

"I know," I whispered, smiling. I turned to Bubbles, "But I'm not naming my kids Jimmy and Samantha, Bubs."

"Well, do you have any other name ideas?" Bubbles stuck her tongue out at me.

"A couple," I replied. "But definitely not Jimmy and Samantha," I told her playfully.

"Fair enough," Bubbles shrugged.

"Wow, so you girls are actually moving in with me?" I repeated. They nodded in response. "That's wonderful."

"It'll be super fun!" Bubbles gushed.

"Yeah, I'll bet-" Buttercup's thought was cut off by the phone going off.

"I got it!" Bubbles exclaimed, dashing over to our white cordless phone. "Hello? ...Yes! Omigosh, me too! ...Uh huh. ...Uh huh. ...Really? ...Well, alright!" she handed me the phone. "It's the Professor and Dr. Keane!"

I paled. Mom and Dad. They were calling. They wanted to talk to me. No, I hadn't been purposely avoiding them for the past four or five months... I just... I had no idea how I was supposed to tell them. What could I say? They'd be so disappointed in me...

"Hey," I said weakly into the receiver.

"_Blossom! How are you, darling?_" Dad asked.

"Doing great," I chuckled nervously, "What about you and mom?"

"_Never better!_" Mom chirped. "_Golly, it sure has been a while, hasn't it, Blossom?_"

"Totally," I responded, still uncomfortable, "I've just been busy with work and stuff... Yeah," I said lamely.

"_Of course,_" Dad replied gently.

"So, what's up you guys?" I asked cheerily.

"_Nothing out the ordinary. Just wanted to catch up with you girls!_" Mom replied. I put her speaker and we all exchanged pleasantries and formalities. After they hung up, I put the phone down on the table and returned to my sisters, only to see their sullen faces staring back.

"Blossom, why didn't you tell us you wanted to move?" Bubbles asked, hurt. "We're your sisters. You should be able to tell us anything."

"I didn't want to hurt your feelings," I murmured. I didn't tell them because I was scared that they'd be upset. We'd always lived together. The irony was that in the process of trying to not hurt them, I hurt them even worse.

"It's not about the house, Blossom," Buttercup stated, "It's about everything. _Everything_. Ever since you got pregnant all you do is lie to us and push us away and keep us out of things!"

"That's not fair!" I bit back. "You guys aren't telling me everything either!" After Bubbles dumped Boomer, she's gotten all distant. And ever since I saw Buttercup and Ace in the park, she's been angrier and more frustrated lately. Neither of them have opened up to me, but I guess it was because I hadn't been open with them either.

I hated that we were drifting apart. I hate that we couldn't confide our closest secrets to another anymore. I hate that it was because of me.

"Girls, I feel that we're not as close as we used to be," I stated. Bubbles and Buttercup's upset looks affirmed that I wasn't feeling this way alone. "I know, I know. It's mostly my fault. But I'm not drifting away from you on purpose... I've just been so swarmed with so much... These past few months have been tough," I swallowed. "But I want you to know that I love you. And I haven't been completely honest with you."

"Me neither," Bubbles murmured. Buttercup grunted in agreement.

"I miss those times we could just tell everything to each other," I couldn't help but smile, "And I want them back. So I'm gonna tell you something that I haven't told anyone else. And after I'm done, I want to hear a secret you've been keeping." Both them nodded and looked interested what I had to reveal.

"Go on," Buttercup prodded.

"I'm dating my baby-daddy," I blurted. I was a little shocked that I let it out like that, but I recovered quickly. I gave them a little smile, nervous for their response.

"Omigosh! That's great! I'm so happy for you!" Bubbles gushed.

"How long have you two been together?" Buttercup asked, curious.

"About a week," I replied confidently. It felt great to get that off my chest. I don't really know why I was keeping that from them, considering they both seem happy for me. Why was I hiding these things if all my sisters would be was excited for me?

"Does he know?" Bubbles whispered, as if there were others listening.

I shook my head guiltily, "Not yet," I murmured, looking down.

"You can't hide it from him much longer," Buttercup pointed out.

"I know," I whispered. "I just need some time," I added softly. After a pause, I looked back up at them. "Okay, you're next Bubbles."

"Okay," Bubbles took in a deep breath. "I know me and Boomer have been broken up for a long time..." she started. "But I really miss him," her voice croaked. "I thought he was the one," she said softly, bringing her knees to her chest. She forced her eyes shut, trying to hold back tears. I wrapped an arm around her in comfort.

"If he really is the one," Buttercup said uncharacteristically gently. "Then you two will find a way back together."

Bubbles looked up at Buttercup, her eyes brimming with tears as she smiled a grateful smile, "That was so deep, BC... Thanks."

Buttercup bit her lip, "It's-It's cool," she tried to play it off.

"Now it's your turn," Bubbles wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes as she looked at Buttercup in anticipation. "Go!"

"I..." Buttercup looked conflicted, "I'm not dating Ace. But he's blackmailing me into staying away from Butch," she looked down. I couldn't but gasp. He was _blackmailing _her? "I really liked Butch too..."

I put a comforting hand on her shoulder, "What's he got on you?" I asked softly.

"Nothing," she murmured. "But he's got enough on Butch to put him away for life," she swallowed. "I don't know if it's real or not, but it's convincing as hell. No one can get a hold of that," she finished, fighting back tears.

"We got your back, BC," Bubbles wrapped her arms around her in a hug.

"Yeah, we're here for you," I added. "I don't ever want you to feel like you can't tell me anything," I whispered to her. I looked to Bubbles, "You either."

"Back at you, Bloss," Bubbles grinned.

I couldn't help but smile. Maybe it was the hormones, maybe it was all the emotion in the room, or maybe... Maybe it was because I finally got my sisters back.

"We're sisters. And nothing is _ever _going to change that."

...

This past week with my sisters has been great. We've been totally honest with each other and it's been wonderful having our relationship back. No matter what has happened to me, they've always been loving and supporting and there for me in general. And I really appreciate it. When I told them I was pregnant, they were ecstatic, not judgmental or cruel. If only everyone else were like them... I still hadn't told Brick, even though I needed to. And after Mom and Dad called a week ago, I've been thinking about how I could tell them also. I mean, I should've told them a long time ago, but... I couldn't. I still can't. I was scared. Sure, they couldn't kick me out or disown me, but I had never disappointed them before. The idea of doing that to them was scary and I wasn't ready to face it.

"Blossom? Are you there?" Sara asked gently.

"Huh?" I replied, shaking myself from my thoughts. "Yeah, sorry. What were you saying?"

"I was just asking if you've been taking your potassium. It's vital to the growth of your baby," she repeated. "It'll also reduce your cramps."

"Of course," I nodded. I had been taking supplements, plus I was making an effort to eat extra fruit and drink extra milk. "I know how important it is."

"Alright," she collected the papers on her desk, "Is there anything out of the ordinary going on? Anything that might be a cause for concern?"

"Not really," I shrugged. "My back has been really sore, but nothing that a nice warm heating pad can't fix," I replied with a small smile.

"Good, good," Sara responded, looking at me intently, yet warmly.

She always seemed so motherly. Sara was a such a sweet person and I bet she would've made a wonderful mom. I knew she didn't have children, so I had no idea what possessed me to ask her this, but-

"Have you ever been pregnant?" I blurted. I immediately regretted it.

She swallowed, "Yes, I have," she answered softly, a sadness coming to her beautiful eyes.

"Oh, I- I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that," I muttered. "Sorry," I repeated.

"It's alright," she sighed. "It was a long time ago. I still wonder where they are today," she murmured.

They? She had twins too? And does that mean they're still out there?

I always had a feeling that Sara knew what I was going through a little _too _well. I mean, she would have an extensive medical knowledge on these things, but part of me always felt that she had a more personal touch to it. But I shouldn't have brought this up. She looked really sad...

"Can I have my ultrasound?" I needed to change the topic. She nodded with response and with a smile, like nothing ever happened, got up and continued the appointment. I followed her and in no time, she showed me the image of my babies.

After she examined them and I had finished cooing, she cleaned off the gel and I buttoned my peach ruffle blouse. It billowed at the midriff and it did a nice job of hiding my growing uterus. It was tight at the chest, pushing my breasts out and it had cute puffed sleeves that made my arms look slender. After I popped in the last brown button, I smoothed the satin material and the patted the wrinkles from my coffee colored trousers.

"I'll see you in a month?" I asked as I hopped off the examining table, my peach heels clicking as they hit the floor.

"Sounds wonderful," she handed me a picture of the twins and turned around, heading to leave.

"Wait!" I called out to her.

She stopped and spun around, "Yes, sweetie?"

"Can I have a paternity test?" I bit my lip. She looked at me quizzically. "I _know _who the father is, but he'll want proof when I tell him," I explained quickly. _When _I tell him? I swallowed. Yes, _when _I tell him.

Sara nodded knowingly and had me sit back down while she brought in nurse in. The nurse pulled out some blood that would contain fetal DNA and put it in a vial that would go a lab. Sara said she'd call me when the results came back. After the appointment was over, I went back upstairs to my office because I had plenty of work left to do.

...

I stepped into my office and the first thing I saw this was giant basket of pink and red flowers. There were daises, lilies, carnations and roses in a beautiful wicker basket with a big red bow on it. It was gorgeous. I flushed when I realized that it must've been for me. I went over and saw a little envelope sticking out the flowers. I bit my lip in anticipation as I read the card.

_Some blossoms for my Blossom. _

_..Yeah, that's super cheesy. But I hope you like them anyway._

_Brick_

Brick... He sent me flowers! What a sweet guy. I hugged the card to my chest as I let my thoughts drift off to my boyfriend. Sure, we hated each other for a long time, but I had to admit that these past two weeks have been some of the happiest of my life.

My pager buzzed and knocked me back to reality, so I pulled it out and read the message. I let out a small sigh as I put the card down beside the flowers on the desk and headed out. I walked out of my office complex, stepped into the elevator and waited until it reached the lobby. There, I headed to the front desk to grab some files before I went to my post-operation follow ups.

I was about to leave until I saw a fleck of red in Dr. Mayor's office. Peering closer, the red looked an awful lot like the back of Brick's head. Just then, the man shook Mayor's hand before letting out a chuckle and turning around. I could see him clearly now. It _was _Brick.

"Brick?" I murmured as he left Mayor's office. At seeing me, he grinned. My eyes widened. He making his way towards me and I just panicked. Grabbing him by the hem of his designer shirt sleeve, I pulled him into the nearest room and slammed the door shut.

"The janitor's closet? A little kinky, don't you think?" I could hear the smirk in his voice and his warm breath around me. It was a small space, so we were pressed against each other and it was pitch black. After a little bit of fumbling, I managed to find a light switch.

"Sorry," I finally replied, looking up at him.

"It's all good," he shrugged.

I forced a smile. Not that it wasn't great to see him, but what was he doing here at the hospital? "Why are you here?" I asked softly, confused.

"Not happy to see me?" he raised an eyebrow.

I sighed, "Of course not," I rolled my eyes and let a little smile creep onto my lips. "I'm ecstatic to see you. And I loved the flowers by the way," I pressed closer to him, wrapping my arms around his strong neck and standing on my toes to kiss him. "They were super sweet and not corny at all," I added as I pulled back from the kiss.

"Glad you liked them," Brick grinned as he wrapped his arms around my waist. His eyebrows furrowed though, and he looked at me warily, "Why'd you pull me in _here_? You couldn't have said all that outside?"

"I..." I couldn't find the words. It's not that-

"You don't want the entire hospital to know that you're dating Hospital Enemy #1," Brick answered his own question, amused. That wasn't it! That wasn't it at all. I had no problem with people knowing that I'm dating Brick... (Then why haven't you told anyone, Blossom?) (I don't know!) Ugh!

"No..." I choked out. "It's not that," I added quickly. "I just... I just don't like broadcasting my personal life to the whole world. Sue me," I bit back. Wait, he's a lawyer. He probably would. "Actually, don't. I don't like lawsuits."

He chuckled, "Whatever you say, babe."

"Good," I nodded. I looked back up at him and I swear he was looking at me oddly. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No reason," he shrugged, nonchalant. His eyes went from my eyes, to my chest, to my hips and back up. And if I wasn't mistaken, they lingered around my midriff a little longer. He wasn't implying anything about my weight, was he?

"Omigosh, you _jerk_!" I spat. "You think I'm _fat_?"

Brick paled at my fury. Like he should! I was MAD. "Whoa, okay, I never said anything about _anything_, babe."

"You didn't have to," I said, my voice dangerously low. He reached to put a hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off. "Don't."

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked, concerned. A little frightened too. I was incredibly terrifying when I was not only furious, but pumped full of pregnancy hormones too.

"Yeah, just peachy!" I replied, sarcasm dripping from my words. "Just freakin' peachy! You shouldn't be calling me fat considering this whole thing's all _your _damn fault! It's your fault that I'm-" pregnant. Oh god, I was about to spill the beans to Brick! What the hell was I thinking? I _couldn't_ let him know! At least not now.

"My fault you're _what_?" Brick didn't look concerned or scared. He just looked plain mad. I suddenly felt guilty. I shouldn't have yelled at him... My shoulders drooped and he immediately softened.

"Your fault I'm freaking out because I really like you," I admitted, defeated. It wasn't a lie- I _did _like him! I just wasn't planning on telling him the _real _truth. At least, not now.

He smirked, tightening his grip on my waist. "I like you too." He brought his nose down to my nose and was grazing his lips against mine when suddenly, he jumped back. "What the hell was that?"

It was the babies! They were kicking again! Oh no! What could I tell him? "Muscle spasms?" I answered shakily.

He looked at me suspiciously, and was about to say something when my pager buzzed and saved the day. Thank _God_!

"Ooh, sorry, babe, got to go!" I gave him a quick kiss before untangling myself from him and exiting the supply closet. I fixed my hair, grabbed a file from the counter in the lobby and headed to the post-operation wing to see my patient.

That was a close one! Brick almost found out. I couldn't let that happen again. Sure, I got the paternity test- I was going to tell him. Just not now.

...

Four down, one to go. My last follow-up was Moe Jojo, Brick's father. I had just taken his gallbladder out earlier this morning and he was in recovery. I snuck a quick onceover at his file before knocking on the door of his room and entering.

"Come in!" he called out.

"Good morning, Mr. Jojo," I greeted. He gave me a look. I chuckled, "Sorry. Moe," I corrected myself. Boy, it felt weird calling my boyfriend's dad and grandfather of my baby that.

"Good morning, Doctor Utonium," he replied happily as well. "How am I proceeding this fine day?"

"You're doing great," I smiled warmly. It was true. "Your vitals are all stable and the surgery went flawlessly. You'll be out of here before you know it!"

"I hope not. This banana pudding is exquisite!" he chuckled, taking a bite of the pudding in his hands.

"Well I'm glad you're enjoying it. I'll be sure to have a tech bring you some more," I said kindly as I put his chart back on the wall as I made my way to step out. I was about to leave when-

"Blossom?" Brick chuckled.

My eyes widened. So _that's_ why he was here. Duh. He stopped by to check on his father. Why didn't I think of that? "Brick," I gave him a professional nod. I wanted to go up and kiss him, but I wasn't sure if his father knew about us or not.

"Is that my son Brick whom I have fathered as I am his father and he is my son? Come over here!" Moe motioned for Brick to come over. "I had no idea you knew my doctor. Isn't she a pleasant person who is pleasant and a doctor and pleasant at doctoring because she is a pleasant doctor?"

"Yeah, she is," Brick smirked as he walked over to his dad. "Here, I got you these. I know they're your favorite," he handed him a bag of bananas.

"Why thank you. This will be most helpful in my recovery in which I will recover from the surgery that my pleasant doctor performed," Moe took one and started to unpeel it.

"Alright. Well I'll see you soon," I said and with that, I planned on leaving. But Brick had other plans.

"Oh, babe?" he called out. I spun around. "Dinner at eight?"

"Sounds great," I replied, smiling at his audacity. I waved as I left. Walking down the hall, I could hear Moe talking to Brick and I couldn't help but laugh to myself.

...

It's been about two weeks since Moe found out about us and from what Brick's told me, he's been pretty happy. Brick said that Moe had always had a penchant for doctors, and though I was curious, I didn't press because I knew it was a sensitive subject. I've been pretty busy in the past few weeks, and so has Brick, but we're still working on that whole 'dating' thing. We haven't really been out much because of our packed schedules, but he always seems to have a few moments to call me and talk.

On the outside, he's a really rough person, but on the inside, he's really sweet and I really, really, like him.

...No, I haven't told him about the baby yet. But the paternity test came back and I know I need to. I can't keep hiding this. It's not fair to him or to the babies. Plus, everyone will know soon enough. I've gained the weight and I'm surprised I've been able to keep it all under wraps this long. The least I can do for Brick is be the one to tell him. I'd hate for him to find out from someone else.

Me and Brick were enjoying our relationship so far, but I wasn't sure how long it'd last after I told him.

Anyways, I could worry about my problems later. Today was all about Bubbles and Boomer!

I meant to get them together before, but between my tight schedule and Bubbles's cheerleading practices, we haven't had much mutually available time. Yes, Bubbles cheers. And she's pretty darn good at it too. She was captain in high school and she cheered for the Townsville University's Tigers all through college. She even got offers to go Pro, but she turned them down because of the travel involved. She wanted to stay close to her family and teach at her former kindergarten, Pokey Oaks. But that spark hasn't disappeared. Dr. Keane hired her as the Townsville High cheerleading coach two years back and since then, each of her teams has gone to state.

Anyway, she's always super perky, but after this afternoon, she'll have another reason to be so happy. She's getting her boyfriend back.

"Come on, Bubs!" I called to her as I pounded on her door.

"I'm coming!" she replied from the other side.

"We're just going to get donuts," I pointed it. Well, that wouldn't be _just _all we were doing.

"Alright, alright!" she huffed as she stepped out. Her hair was in a messy ponytail, she didn't have any makeup on and she was wearing large blue sweatpants and a white tee. "Let's go already," she groaned.

"You're wearing _that_?" I asked, a little surprised. I mean, she's gotten a sloppy after her breakup, but she was approaching a new low. Bubbles was _never _sloppy. Ever. She was always primped and ready, no matter how sad or upset she was on the inside. To be honest, it was a little scary seeing her like that.

"We're just getting donuts, right?" she shrugged.

"Right..." I replied slowly. No, wrong! Totally wrong! But I couldn't let that slip. After a pause, "Okay, let's go," I motioned to the door, grabbed my purse and followed her out. We took the elevator downstairs, then walked from our building to the donut and coffee cafe across the street.

"I wonder when Buttercup'll be home," Bubbles mused. "Should we get her a donut?"

"Probably," I responded. Buttercup was working a late session at the gym and told us not to wait up. Why did I have a bad feeling that it wasn't _just _the gym that was going to keep her?

"What are you getting?" Bubbles asked me, her regular ebullience peeking through.

"I'm hungry, so one of everything," I replied cheekily as I held the door open for her and we walked in. "You?"

"Probably a vanilla frosted blueberry-" she froze mid-sentence. I looked to see what had stopped her. Bubbles had looked across the cafe and locked eyes with a certain blue-eyed blond. Perfect. "L-Let's go somewhere else," she said quickly.

"What? Why? I love this place!" I exclaimed, a little whiny. She caught the bait, now it's time for me to reel it in.

"We can come back later," Bubbles spun around and tried to make a beehive for the door.

"Why put off what we can do now?" I stopped her from leaving. Almost there...

"I mean it," she said, her voice low.

"Me too," I replied, my voice dangerous as well.

Bubbles swallowed, shut her eyes and then opened them. "Boomer's here," she said shakily.

I grinned. This was working perfect so far... "Great! Let's go say hi!"

"Wh-What? Why?" Bubbles whispered harshly.

"Well, he's my friend," I shrugged. "And you two have been broken up for a while. It won't be awkward." That's a lie. It probably would be.

"Since when are you two friends?" Bubbles narrowed her eyes at me.

"For a while now," I replied casually. "Hey, Boomer!" I waved from across the restaurant. At seeing me, he gave a big grin and I dragged Bubbles over there with me. "Room for two more?"

"Of course," Boomer grinned. "Blossom," he nodded at me. "Bubbles..." his eyes lingered on her for a little longer. "Please, sit," he motioned to the empty seats beside and across from him.

Bubbles glared at him and crossed her arms, but I pulled down her with me as I sat. "Gosh, it has been a while, hasn't it?" I said rather obnoxiously. I needed to get these two to start talking and make up already!

"Too long," Boomer whispered, his gaze shifting to my blonde sister.

"Not long enough," Bubbles intensified her glare.

"So, tell me-" my train of thought was cut off by my phone buzzing. Who could that be? I pulled it out of my bag, flicked my finger across the screen to unlock it and saw that I had a new text message.

**Brick (received at 4:51 PM)**

**Hey, babe. You busy? If not, we should meet up.**

I grinned. We should totally meet up! I quickly typed a response, tossed my phone in my large pink bag and stood up.

"I've got some... urgent business to attend to," I smoothed out my white dress. "I've got to go, but I hope you two enjoy your donuts!"

I wasn't planning on leaving, but I think this was a good, unexpected step. Now they'll have the privacy they need. This was sure to work out.

...

_(Bubbles's POV)_

I can't _believe _Blossom left me here with Boomer! It's bad enough that he cheated on me, but worse is that I still wasn't over him. And she knew that. It was really mean for her to- Wait a second. Omigosh, Blossom planned this! She's not that stupid. She knows that I still have feelings for him! She's trying to get us back together. Well newsflash- it's not going to work.

"Boomer, both us know why we're here," I stated, trying to be as professional as possible. "And I think it's ridiculous, even a little juvenile. So I'm leaving," I stood up.

"Wait, don't go!" Boomer exclaimed, jumping to his feet as well. "I mean, uh, can't we just enjoy some donuts together?" he suggested, a little awkwardly.

"No, we can't," I whispered, frowning. After all that's happened between us, he still wants to be friends? I don't think so.

"Not even friends?" Boomer murmured.

"No," I answered firmly. I wasn't slipping down this slippery slope again.

"Good," Boomer sat back down. "I know I wouldn't be able to just be friends with you, Bubbles," he gave a sardonic smile, "I won't make you stay here if you really hate me. But just hear me out. All I want is two minutes of your time. And then you're free to go and I'll never bother you again," he pleaded earnestly.

He looked really genuine, so I didn't want to hurt him. Biting my lip, I sat back down, "Two minutes."

"That's all I need," Boomer grinned, his eyes lighting up. "Okay, that day you walked into my classroom and I was with Princess? It went a little differently."

And then he recounted the tale of Princess accosting him, badgering him about his brother and invading his personal space until I finally entered. It made a lot of sense and it fit perfectly. Too perfectly. Maybe two months ago, I would've believed him without a shred of doubt. But I was different now. I was tired of being naive, gullible little Bubbles.

"Do you believe me now?" Boomer asked, a desperate look in his eyes.

"No," I whispered.

"Wh-What? Why not?" Boomer was taken aback. "You think I'm lying to you?" his eyes had narrowed at me.

I shrugged, "I don't know what to believe nowadays, Boomer," I replied, sullen

"Okay, you know what? Forget about me," Boomer slammed his hands on the table in frustration. "Tell me that _you_ haven't missed me these past two months. Tell me you've been genuinely happy. Tell me you haven't thought of me a single time. Tell me you don't still care about me!"

I swallowed. I couldn't.

"You can't, can you?" Boomer murmured. "Well I can't either."

"I..." I started, not sure how to reply. Everything he said about me was true. And maybe... Just maybe what he said about Princess was too. His soft hands moved towards mine, taking my gentle hands into his warm palms. He gave me a gentle, but firm and reassuring squeeze, then pulled me closer to him so that our faces were almost touching, the only thing between us an empty table.

"You're beautiful," Boomer brushed a strand of stray hair from my forehead. Suddenly, I flushed. I totally forgot what a mess I was! My hair was thrown in a sloppy ponytail, I probably had these ugly bags under my eyes and I was in baggy sweats.

"No, I'm not," I tried push the redness down my neck as I looked down.

"You are too," Boomer cupped my chin and brought it upwards, forcing me to make eye contact with him. He looked down, as if he was unsure about something, but then looked back up at me with determination, "If I could think of the worst two months of my life, these were it," he continued.

"Me too," I blurted. Boomer genuinely cared about me. How could I not see that? "I'm an idiot, I'm sorry."

"_I'm _the idiot. _I'm _sorry," Boomer corrected me. I shook my head in disagreement.

"Ya both idiots!" some lady with a heavy Jersey accent yelled from the table next to us.

I giggled, "I can live with that." Resting my elbows on the table, I moved my hands up to his shoulders, then his neck, then his silky blond hair as I pulled him in for a kiss. After a long moment, he pulled back.

"Bubbles, I love you. And I mean it," Boomer declared.

I couldn't help but grin, "I love you too, Boomer."

"Does this mean we're back together?" Boomer grinned back at me.

"Hmm, that depends," I put my finger on my chin playfully, "You'll have to ask me first."

"Bubbles, will you be my girlfriend?" Boomer asked, taking one of my hands into his.

"Of course," I smiled and kissed him again. Then I got a better idea. "Boomer, let's get out of here," I whispered suggestively.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Meaning?"

"You know what I mean," I replied, a mischievous glint in my sapphire eyes. Blossom said she had work to do, Buttercup was at the gym... That meant our place was empty right now. Perfect. "Let's go to my place."

He grinned, "Sounds like a plan." He stood up, then helped me up. I looped my arms with his and we walked out the cafe together.

"We never did get any donuts," I commented wistfully as we stepped out.

Maybe Blossom was right after all. I'd have to thank her for sure.

...

_(Buttercup's POV)_

Ugh, I hate it when customers cancel their classes last-minute. Seriously, I'm waiting for them, ready and everything and a minute before class starts, they call to say they're busy. Talk about inconsiderate.

Anyways, since my 4:30 cancelled, I decided to head home. I had told my sisters that I was going to get back late, so I guess I could surprise them. The last few months have tough for us as sisters, but after talking some things out a few weeks ago, we're tighter. And I really love it. On the outside, I try not to show too much emotion, but I really missed getting to be myself around my sisters. So I'm glad that's back.

Why did I opt to take the shortcut through the seedy part of town again? I guess I wasn't paying attention. I crossed my arms around my chest, glaring at the shady-looking guys staring at me. I could take any one of them in a fight, so I wasn't worried about getting attacked; it was just annoying having people stare at me. But to be fair, I _was _wearing a form-fitting green tank and tight black sweatpants, so I couldn't blame people for keeping their eyes off of me. Hey, I wasn't going to deny that I was attractive.

Suddenly, I feel an arm snake around my waist and another clamp around my mouth as I pulled into an alley. Great, just what I needed. I bit the guy's hand and as he wavered for a second, I grabbed his other arm and spun him around, slamming him into the filthy brick wall and freeing myself in the process.

"Ugh, Butters, it's just me," he muttered. I knew that greasy black hair looked familiar. I let out a sigh of frustration as I loosened my hold on him and let him fall to the ground. Grumbling, he got to his feet, straightened his sunglasses and gave me a licentious grin.

"What, Ace?" I crossed my arms and gave him a hard look. "I have things to do."

"You should be thanking me, Butters," he replied, "There's a lot of creeps down this way."

"No kidding?" I scoffed.

"Well, whatever. I just wanted to make sure you were holding your end of the bargain," he eyed me carefully.

I shut my eyes, counted to ten and held in my anger. "Yup. I haven't talked to him in more than a month."

"Good," Ace smirked, satisfied.

I sighed, "Ace, why are you doing this to me?" I was at the end of my rope. I was tired of this. Really.

Me and Butch had this really hot thing going on, but then I ran into Ace a month ago and he showed me a video of Butch robbing a store. It must've been from like six or eight years ago, but it was Butch for sure. Ace said that he knew Butch and his brothers a long time ago and he hadn't turned in the evidence that would put Butch away for life _yet_. He said that he saw Butch earlier and decided to give it to the police in because Butch... did something to him that day or something, but after bumping into me, Ace came up with a better idea. He told me to stay away from Butch and he'd keep the tape under wraps.

And then the creep kissed me. I know we dated a long time ago (a _long _time ago) and I may still even have had feelings for the guy, but after he kissed me- I knew we were through. Butch even saw us. I lied to him. I pushed him away. I ignored all of his calls and did everything in my power to avoid the guy because deep down, I think I really cared about him.

Butch was an ass. But he was also strong, funny, a little sweet sometimes and he really understood me. I really thought we could be something. But I guess I'd never know. I didn't trust Ace one bit, but there wasn't anything else I could do.

"Because I can't stand that guy," Ace chuckled, "It's good seeing him suffer."

"What about me?" I whispered harshly, my voice low.

"Yeah, I guess it's nice seeing you suffer too," Ace pulled down his sunglasses and grinned back at me.

"You're a jerk, Ace," I spat. "I don't know what I ever saw in you."

"You're not the first girl to say that," he shrugged, nonchalant. Suddenly, his gaze intensified. "Just stay away from him, alright? Then I won't do anything... drastic."

"I know, I know," I mumbled. "Goodbye, Ace," I rolled my eyes and stepped out of the dank alley. I had gotten used to not seeing Butch, I could live with it for the rest of my life. ...Maybe.

I let my thoughts consume me as I continued to walk home. I finally reached our building and nodded to the doorman as I headed upstairs. I jogged up the last flight of stairs before stepping out into the classy hallway and walking to the third room on the right. I was about to pull out my keys from the duffle bag slinging from my shoulder when I realized the door was open. What the hell? Blossom never leaves the door unlocked.

I slam the door open and step in, tossing my duffle to the side and looking for my sisters. There was a note on the counter. It was written in pink pen and Blossom's curvy handwriting, saying they weren't here. But someone else was. Who-

"Buttercup," the figure turned around to face me. Oh no.

"Butch," I replied, breathless. What was he doing here? Or better question- "How the hell did you get in here?"

"Key under the doormat," he shrugged. "Wasn't that hard."

Curses. Blossom always said that was a terrible idea. "Go away," I demanded, balling my hands up in fists.

"No," Butch took a step closer to me. "Not until you talk to me, that is."

"I don't have anything to say to you," I tried to mask my longing feelings with a cold tone of voice.

"Really?" Butch was now millimeters away from me, his glare hard.

"Really," I swallowed, trying not to waver.

"Why'd you call off the deal? And why didn't you pick up when I called you about it?" he questioned.

"I didn't feel like it," I shrugged, trying my best to be nonchalant.

"I don't believe you. It was the best offer your gym's ever gotten." Damn. How does he know that?

"Did you just come here to fight?" I asked, exasperated. I really, really needed him to leave. His being here was making it much harder for me to push him away. I really want to run my hands through his jet-black hair and roll my tongue across his stubbled chin. There wasn't much more I wanted than to trail my hands down his rippled chest and- Okay, I needed to keep my thoughts clean. Heh.

"No, but I will if I have to," he bit back.

"Please, Butch, just leave," I nearly pleaded, turning away. I couldn't deal with him here much longer.

"Not until you tell me why," he grabbed my arm and pulled me towards me. I glowered. I did _not _need to be manhandled! I was about to reply with a snarky comeback when Butch slammed his lips on mine. It was a rough, but passionate kiss and I didn't want to pull away. But I did.

"You want to why?" I whispered uncharacteristically gently, looking at my feet. I looked up at Butch. "I'll tell you, alright?"

And then I let it all out. I told him everything about Ace, the videotape, the deal and how I had stopped myself from contacting him because I didn't want to see the one guy I _really_ liked go to jail.

"I knew he looked familiar," Butch snarled. "That greasy, little slimeball. I can't believe he's blackmailing you!"

I gave a sardonic smile, "Sucks, right?"

"It doesn't have to," Butch gave a lecherous grin as he ran his fingers across the exposed skin on my waist. "What Ace doesn't know won't hurt him," he added, bringing his head to the crook of my neck and leaving a trail of kisses there.

"What he knows _will _hurt you," I tried to reason with no avail. I couldn't say no. Not now. I needed this.

I put my brain in the backseat as I let my instincts take over.

...

_(Back to Blossom's POV)_

After Brick texted me in the donut shop and I replied, I left. I wasn't sure where he wanted to meet up, so I called him and we agreed on the Townsville Park. I love the park, really. It's incredibly lush and beautiful and a wonderful place to hang out with a great guy.

"Hey, beautiful," Brick grinned as he approached me. He was dressed casually, in a red tee, dark shorts and sneakers. But he also had this red baseball cap jammed backwards on his unkempt fiery hair. I hadn't ever seen him wear it before, but it looked rather fitting on his head. I'm glad I was casually dressed as well. An unbuttoned red cardigan, a fluffy white dress (perfect to hide a baby bump!), red sandals and a red silk ribbon in my ponytail.

"Hey," I flushed. I knew we had agreed against public displays of our affection, but screw it. I hadn't seen him in a while and I really wanted to kiss my boyfriend. Taking a step forward, I smiled as I reduced the space between us and wrapped my arms around his neck, bringing my lips to his in a sweet kiss.

"I'd be careful, Blossom. You don't want the whole world knowing that you're dating _me_," Brick teased after we pulled back.

"Screw the world," I rolled my eyes. "I don't care what other people think," I stated. Okay, maybe that wasn't completely true. I liked to think that I didn't need others' approval, but deep down, I always loved that everyone always loved me. This whole new territory- being pregnant- I was afraid it would change what people thought of me. I know, I know. It doesn't matter as long as I'm the one who appreciates myself, but still... It was the truth. And I was trying to get over it.

"Really?" Brick raised an eyebrow.

Wow, was it that obvious? "Yes, really," I replied confidently. Linking arms with his, we began strolling. "So what's up? It's been a while, hasn't?"

"Yeah," Brick nodded. He looked over to me to answer my question, "And not much. Just work and crap. You know."

"I _know_," I chuckled. "How's your dad?" He should be recovering fine, but it never hurt to ask.

"Pretty good," Brick shrugged. "He invited me over for dinner next week," he said, a little irritated.

"Sounds fun," I smiled at him. At his frown, I asked, "Do you not want to go?"

"I really don't care," Brick replied honestly. "But I'm not having a good feeling about this..."

"A dad can't have his son over for dinner without being suspicious?" I raised an eyebrow, a gentle smile on my glossed lips.

"No, no," Brick shook his head. "It's not the dinner. It's what he's probably going to do or say at dinner. See, he broke up with his girlfriend Ima the other day. They've been dating for years. She's a whore and was sleeping with him for his money, but I doubt he just _now _figured that out. I don't know... He's seems really different lately and I guess I'm just nervous because I'll probably find out why."

"Aww," I rested my head on his shoulder. "Don't worry. I'm sure it's nothing. Plus, it's good that he broke up with her if she wasn't right for him," I tried to add reassuringly.

"I guess," Brick mumbled.

"If you want, I'll come with you," I suggested, a bright smile on my face.

Brick grinned, "Alright, come meet my messed up family. It won't be so bad if I'm not alone."

I guess he didn't know that I was already acquainted with Boomer and Butch. And his dad. I wonder if there was anyone else? "Well, I can't wait," I grinned back.

"Hey, you remember Princess, right?" Brick changed the topic. I nodded. "Yeah, her paternity test came back. Surprise, surprise- it wasn't mine."

As much as I really despised Princess, I had to empathize with what she was going through right now. It was tough enough for me, even with the support of my sisters and Brick (except... he didn't know yet...). I couldn't imagine how she was feeling.

"I don't even know if she's gonna keep it," Brick shrugged. Okay, I know I had to tell him about the babies, but it couldn't hurt to test the waters first. Here goes nothing...

"Hypothetically -and I mean completely _hypothetically_- what would you have done if her baby really was yours?" I asked thoughtfully. How would he react? "Just curious," I added quickly to avoid arousing suspicion.

Brick softened at this question and jamming his hands in his pockets, he looked up at me, "To be honest, I'd want a part in the kid's life. I wouldn't get back together with Princess or anything, but I'd want to be there for my kid," he said genuinely.

My heart melted. Brick really meant that. He truly would want to in his child's life. Was it foolish of me not to tell him? I couldn't hide this from him anymore. I wouldn't.

"That's really sweet," I whispered, my eyes big in adoration. "You're really sweet, Brick."

He smirked, "I know." I rolled my eyes, even giggled a little as I tightened my grip around his arm. "Where do you want to go for dinner?" he asked.

"Why don't we head back to my apartment?" I suggested. "I can whip up something for us and then maybe..." I trailed, giving him a salacious smile. We should have the place to ourselves considering Buttercup wasn't getting home until later and Bubbles would be at the cafe for hours.

He licked his lips in anticipation, "Sounds good. Lead the way," he motioned to the path ahead of us.

...

I jammed my keys in the lock and the door slammed open as Brick pushed me inside. Shutting the door, I let out a little moan as Brick left a trail of kisses down my neck. I ran my hands down his muscular physique until my fingers were on the hem of his shirt. I pulled it over his head and he tossed it off to the side as our tongues continued to dance. While one hand encircled my waist, the other came up to my hair and pulled out the red ribbon, letting my auburn hair flow freely. He pushed my cardigan off, leaving my arms bare. I continued to explore his rather familiar body as he did to mine as I led him back to my room.

"Bedroom," I said breathless between kisses. We must not have been moving in the right direction because I brushed something and heard a clattering smack. My eyes widened as I realized we were in the living room and must've backed into one of the side tables and knocked over that stupid lamp. Ugh, whatever.

"Sorry," Brick mumbled an unapologetic apology as he ran his hands down my widened waist.

"Never liked that old lamp anyway," I replied, leaving kisses along his strong jawline before moving my tongue and teeth to his ear. I felt him feeling around for the zipper of my dress and was about to help him when-

"What the hell?"

Oh god. That was Buttercup. What was she doing here? She was supposed to be at work! I tried to push Brick off of me so I could talk to Buttercup, but he was a little resilient.

"Butterbutt, get back here," I heard another voice say. It was low, so definitely masculine, but- Wait, was that Butch? Suddenly, Brick spun around and I was able to get a good look at the other two people in the apartment. Buttercup's hair was a mess and she was in a tiny satin emerald robe. Butch was standing behind her wearing nothing but green boxers.

"Buttercup!" I exclaimed, turning as red as a tomato. I could only imagine what was going through her head right now!

"Blossom?" Buttercup questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Butch?" Brick said incredulously.

"Brick?" Butch's eyes widened.

"Butch!" I realized. What were Buttercup and Butch doing? Never mind, stupid question.

"Blossom!" Butch replied, shocked.

I was about to explain why Brick and I were half-naked and all over each other, but I heard the lock click meaning that someone was coming it. Peering across the kitchen island, I saw it was Boomer and Bubbles. Their hands were all over each other and Bubbles was flushed. Boomer had his hand slung lowly around her waist and Bubbles was pressed beside him, whispering to him.

"Blossom! Buttercup!" Bubbles jumped away from Boomer and flushed redder as she saw us. She must've had similar plans.

"Brick... Butch..." Boomer realized, his jaw dropping.

"Bubbles!" Buttercup and I exclaimed at the same time.

"Bubbles... Boomer..." Brick mumbled, looking at the two intensely.

"Dude, Boomer," Butch grinned and gave him an air high-five.

"Okay, what the hell's going on here?" Buttercup asked, looking at me, then at Bubbles.

"I think we all were thinking the same thing..." I started, looking at the blond couple, then at the brunets, then at Brick.

"Blossom, what are you doing here with Brick?" Bubbles blurted. "You said you were dating your-" she stopped herself. Thank god. I don't know what would've happened if she had finished and said baby-daddy. "...Oh," Bubbles's eyes widened in realization. She must've just figured out that Brick was the father of my children.

"Oh," Buttercup's did the same. "Oh!" she grinned at the same realization.

"Shut up you guys," I muttered, shutting my eyes. Brick looked quizzically at my sisters, then at me.

"What are they talking about?" he asked, eying me suspiciously.

"I... I need to tell you something," I started out slowly, matting down my hair. Taking in a deep breath, I continued, "You might want to sit down."

"I'm good," Brick narrowed his eyes. "What are you hiding from me?" he questioned, his eyes flicking red in anger. Ooh, if he was mad now, just wait...

"Brick, I'm pregnant. With your baby."

...

**Am I evil, or what? How do you think Brick'll react? :D**

**And blarg, sorry for any spelling or grammatical issues. I was tired when I was proofing. **

**Anyhoo, leave me a review! Let me know whatcha think! C:**


	8. The Seventh Month

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the Powerpuff Girls or the Rowdyruff Boys!

**Author's Note: **I wanna thank everyone who's taken the time to read and/or review. This fic has gotten over 3,000 hits and your reviews really warm my heart. So thanks y'all! (:

I put up a poll with some names on my profile. I might not pick the names EXACTLY from the poll results, but I do want your thoughts on those. So if you have a few seconds, don't be a afraid to vote!

Aaand, this was supposed to be up sooner, but everything I wrote kept getting deleted. And that's rough D:

Quick note- the song that Blossom's listening to towards the end is called 'Tonight (I'm Loving You)' by Enrique Iglesias. It's a fun song and if you've heard it, don't you think it fits Blossom and Brick pretty well? :D

Okay, so I have a new little section down here. If you like shameless advertising, feel free to read it and if you don't, just skip over to the fic!

**My Blossom/Brick Picks: **So, I follow a lot of Brick/Blossom fics, but there are a few that really stand out. Every time I update, I'm going to list a few special fics (in no specific order) that I think y'all might like if you're into the whole Brick/Blossom thing like me. All I ask is that if you read them, leave a review for the authors. A couple of kind words really go a long way!

1.** Twisted Vines** by **Ezaeryl** is like this super cool Ancient China AU. Brick's the crown prince and Blossom's a noble and they've got an arranged marriage but there's a few twists! This fic is really well-written and descriptive and I think it's been a fun read so far. I can't wait for an update on this one!

2. **Another Word I'll Never Pronounce** by **xxNicholeStellar **is about Brick and Blossom falling for each other as teens. It's got an amazing characterization for each of them and the author does a great job with letting the readers in on Brick and Blossom's thoughts. It's also well-written and captivating, leaving the reader hungry for more!

3. **Sugar, Spice and High School Life** by** amythist7 **is one of my favorite PPG high school fics. There's not much Brick/Blossom now (but there will be! ...Hopefully!), but the premise is fun and it's a great twist on the classic idea. The fic is cute, funny, exciting and of course, well-written. It's refreshing and a delight to read!

Special Mention: **The X Plan **by **Delon T** is a fun AU where the puffs, ruffs, punks and others weren't just made by the Professor. It's suspenseful and riveting and the plot is full of exciting twists and turns!

Now, onto the fic! At almost 9,000 words exactly, I hope you guys enjoy this! :D

...

_(Blossom's POV)_

"You're...pregnant...?" Brick replied, his eyes wide. He swallowed, "With my kid?"

"Your _kids_, actually," I corrected. I flashed him a nervous smile. There were about a million ways he could react right now and most them weren't going to be good. I waited for his reply, frozen in my spot. It was like he was the only other person in the world right now and even though our siblings were staring wide at us, the only thing I could focus on was Brick.

"My kids..." Brick reiterated. He seemed to process the information, but I wasn't sure if it really hit him yet. Turning around, I pulled out an ultrasound photograph and the paternity test papers from my purse and handed them to him.

He took them and began looking over them. I see could his eyebrows furrow and a myriad of emotions flash in his crimson orbs. Surprise, shock, realization, anger and fury. Suddenly, he looked up at me fiercely from the papers. "Why didn't you tell me?" he growled.

I bit my lip, "Because I was afraid of what you'd say," I shut my eyes, trying to hold back tears. "I knew this would happen."

He visibly softened at my quivering lips, "And you're keeping them?" he asked.

My eyes flashed open in anger. He had to ask that? Of course I was keeping them. Maybe if the circumstances were different, I'd have considered termination... But to be honest, the idea never even crossed my mind. "It's too late to get rid of them even if you wanted to," I spat. "I just finished my second trimester."

His eyes widened, "You've been pregnant for _six_ months?" he exclaimed.

"Yeah," I smiled sardonically, "You'd think people would've picked up on it."

"Those muscle spasm..." he whispered. "They weren't _your _muscle spasms... They were the babies'."

"Wow, aren't you smart?" I laughed mirthlessly. "Do you want a gold star?"

"I want to know why you thought you could hide this from me!" Brick suddenly yelled.

"I wasn't going to ask you for money, so, it really wasn't any of your business!" I replied, my voice rising.

"It's just as much my business as it is yours!" Brick threw his hands in frustration.

"Oh, really? You've had two little fetuses growing inside you for the past six months?" I scoffed, sarcasm dripping from my words.

He paused. "Blossom, you're not making this easier for me," Brick grit his teeth. Okay, that was it.

"Easier for _you_? What about me? I've been pregnant for six months, scared out of my mind. I've been high off these ridiculous pregnancy hormones while I've watched my body turn into something I've never had experience with before. I didn't plan it like this! This wasn't supposed to _happen_!" I cried at the top of lungs. "At least... Not like this," I murmured, finally letting my tears fall freely.

"Blossom..." Brick murmured.

"Don't! Don't even!" I yelled at him as he came closer to me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and ran his hands soothingly through my hair. I tried to resist his embrace at first, but soon found myself giving into his radiating warmth. He wiped my tears off with his thumb and took my hands into his own, kissing them.

"I'm... I'm sorry," he whispered. "I shouldn't have..."

"It's okay," I murmured, my face buried in his chest. My lip quivering, I looked up at him, "You don't have to stay with me if you don't want to," I told him genuinely. If Brick didn't want to be with me anymore, then I didn't want him either.

"I want to," he replied, letting out a breath as he gently stroked my hair.

"I want you to too," I agreed, a content smile creeping on my lips. He wanted to be with me. He wanted to raise these children with me. He wanted to be a part of my life and a part of theirs. My heart warmed at the thought that we'd be a family.

"Wait, so does this mean I'm gonna be a uncle?" I heard Butch call out from the other side of the room. I grinned to myself. I guess it did.

...

"Hey, beautiful," Brick kissed me as I opened the door and let him in.

I blushed. "Hey, Brick," I smiled. "Ready to go?"

"Not at all," Brick grinned.

Today we were meeting each others' parent(s). Mom and Dad called me, Bubbles and Buttercup over for Saturday lunch and the three of us decided to bring our guys along. Moe called his sons over dinner tonight so in return, we're accompanying Brick, Butch and Boomer there. I had already met Moe, so I wasn't too nervous. And Brick was a nice guy, so hopefully the Professor and Dr. Keane would take a liking to him. I was going to tell them about the twins today and for the first time in a while, I wore a formfitting outfit that showed off my baby bump. I was in a hot pink halter dress with a white short-sleeved shrug and pink sandals. I had put on a dash of make-up, some dangling white earrings and a few strands of white necklaces. I looked pretty cute, if you asked me.

"We'll be fine," I tried to reassure him. "Maybe," I added a little unsurely.

He chuckled, "Well, you look gorgeous," he wrapped his arm around my waist. I gave him a little smile as I grabbed my bag and headed out the door with him.

"Thanks. You too," I returned the compliment. It was true- he really did look nice. Brick was in a deep red dress shirt and dark washed jeans. He had even shaved off his regular stubble and his fiery red hair adorned his strong neck.

He smirked, "Don't I always?" I rolled my eyes. "You ready to go?" he asked as we stepped out of the luxurious building.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I laughed. He led me over to his crimson convertible BMW, opening the door for me and helping me in. After I was seated, he joined me and we pulled out, heading to Mom and Dad's.

"I put the address in earlier," he told me, answering the question I was about to ask. I gave him a little smile as I took a quick peek of myself in the rearview mirror. Behind me was the backseat and I couldn't help but think how two little carseats would back there perfectly.

"So..." I started, trying to think of a conversation starter. I didn't really like silence.

"What are your parents like?" Brick asked, pulling out a pair of Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses.

"They're really sweet," I replied, taking out my own pair of oversized pink-tinted leopard-spotted shades. "I think they'll like you," I added.

"I hope so," Brick took in a deep breath.

We soon entered a lavish neighborhood and pulled into the driveway of my parents' large, marble mansion. See, Dad's the dean of Townsville University and Mom's the superintendent of the Townsville City Schools. Dad used to be a Professor and he got pretty rich from patenting his many inventions before deciding to go into the University administration. Mom used to teach kindergarten and she actually was our teacher (that's how they met!), and being the wonderful, dedicated person she is, moved up the ladder until she finally made it to the top of the TCS system. They both loved education and that's probably why the three of us were so successful through school.

I really loved Dr. Keane. She wasn't an evil stepmother; she was a warm, caring, considerate woman that genuinely loved us and wanted the best for us. She never tried to take the place of our late mom, but in being such a sweet woman, she did. I never really knew much about my mother, but Dr. Keane made sure there wasn't a hole in my heart because of it.

As Brick parked, I noticed a dark blue Ford Mustang parked ahead of us. That was probably Boomer's car, which meant that Bubbles and him were already here. Good, that would help alleviate some of the tension I was going to bring into this house. Brick stepped out and opened the door on my side, helping me out. Pressing a button on his keys, the car beeped to signal it was locked and we walked to the front door together, our arms entwined.

I gave a reassuring smile to Brick as I rang the doorbell, nervously waiting for it to open. In a few seconds, the ornate door creaked open and I saw Bubbles's smile greet me.

"Bubbles," I grinned.

"Brick, Blossom!" Bubbles exclaimed. "We were waiting for you! Come on in," she motioned for us to enter.

I grabbed Brick's hand and gave him a gentle squeeze as we walked into the foyer of the house. Stepping in, I saw Butch and Boomer in conversation on the couch, Bubbles sliding in beside them. Just then, Mom walked in with a tray of veggies in her hand and her eyes soon locked in with mine. As soon as she saw my midriff, the tray in her hands fell to the floor.

"Hey, mom," I said, my voice audibly wavering. One of my hands was rubbing my belly and the other was behind me, supporting my back. Brick stood behind me, his hands in his pockets, glancing around the room before smiling at Mom.

"B-Blossom," she exclaimed, surprised. "You're..."

"Yup," I whispered, forcing a smile.

"Sandra, is that Blossom, I hear?" Dad said cheerily as he walked into the foyer from the kitchen. Removing his oven mitts, he stepped into the room and saw me. I swear his eyebrows jumped right off his face when he came to the same realization Mom did. "Oh, my." That was probably all he could squeak out.

"Don't faint!" I put my hands out in front of me, as if they'd do any good, as I saw Dad's eyes slowly close.

"I-I wasn't about to," Dad replied slowly.

"Blossom, you're pregnant!" Mom blurted, her eyes still wide.

"Do you guys want to sit down?" I gave them a small smile as my eyebrows scrunched upwards. Mom and Dad slowly nodded and walked over to the one of the plush couches where they sat beside each other. Brick and I sat down as well.

"How far are you along?" Mom inquired.

"A little more than six months," I answered shakily.

"Wow, so you're due pretty soon," Dad replied, scratching his head.

"Blossom, why didn't you tell us?" Mom whispered, hurt. I lowered my head guiltily.

"I was afraid," I murmured. I felt Brick's arm come across my shoulder and rub it gently, reassuringly.

Suddenly, Mom grinned. "Well you shouldn't have been. I think I'd like having a little child in my life again."

At this, Dad smiled too. "A grandchild, huh?"

"Grandchildren, actually," Brick corrected them. I beamed, nodding.

"A boy and a girl," I added. Suddenly, I realized something. I hadn't introduced Brick yet! "Oh, I'm sorry," I shook my head. "I completely forgot to introduce you two to my boyfriend, Brick Jojo."

"Jojo, hmm?" Dad looked at Brick thoughtfully. "Are you Moe's son?"

"Actually, yes," Brick replied, surprised. I didn't know our dads knew each other!

"I used to work for him. A fine fellow," Dad commented as he shook Brick's hand. "I take it you're the father...?"

"Yes." Brick smirked, "At least, I think so," he turned towards me playfully.

I simpered, swatting him on the shoulder lightly, "Promise."

"Yay, aren't you guys excited?" Bubbles interjected. Haha, I almost forgot her, Boomer and Butch were still there. I understood why Boomer was here, but why was Butch? Oh, I think Buttercup was coming later on. ...That made sense.

"I think I am," Mom regained her composure. "Wow, I'll be a stepgrandmother," she let out a small smile.

"You'll be a _grandma_," I corrected her. "And you'll be a grandpa," I grinned at Dad.

He was about to reply when a 'ding' from the kitchen sounded. Instead, he said, "Looks like lunch's ready! Who's hungry?"

Then I realized, "I'm _starving_!" Mom, Dad and the others let out a hearty laugh at my exclamation. "No, really. I'm starving," I reiterated, not getting why they all thought it was hilarious.

"Okay, let's eat," Dad announced and ushered us into the dining room. Bubbles and I helped set the table and before we knew it, we were all digging into Mom and Dad's delicious homecooked meal.

It hadn't been long when Buttercup finally arrived. I saw her slip a smile when she realized the only empty seat was beside Butch. I think those two have something going on because later, they snuck out and when they came back, Buttercup's lipgloss was smeared and Butch's shirt was inside out. They left after dessert, as did Bubbles and Boomer who wanted to visit the park before dinner. Leaving Brick and I. And the twins, of course.

"Thanks so much for that yummy meal," I gushed.

"We're glad you two had a nice time," Dad replied warmly.

"We did. Absolutely," Brick said pleasantly.

"Great," Mom smiled. "I think I speak for us both when I say you're a wonderful young man, Brick. Take care of our Blossom."

"There's no way I won't," Brick replied. Beaming, I took his hand into my own.

Dad sent us a tender smile, but his expression soon hardened. "Blossom, if there's anything you need in the next few months... Please, let me know," he said, seriously. The uncharacteristically somber tone of his voice unsettled me. And then it hit me. My mother _died _giving birth to us. I was going to give birth in less than three months. Suddenly, chills went down my back. I snapped my head up to meet Dad's eyes and sent him a firm nod, letting him know I understood what he was saying. "Well I hope you too stop by again soon!" his voice returned to cheery as he waved us off.

Reluctantly, I quickly smiled and stepped out of house, my thoughts morose.

...

I think Brick sensed my sullen thoughts as soon as he pulled out of the driveway. It was a few more minutes until he finally took a quick break from the road to glance at me.

"Are you alright, Blossom?" he asked, studying me.

"I'm fine," I answered hurriedly. "Keep your eyes on the road," I added, trying to end this conversation. Suddenly, I felt the car swerve and I looked out to see that Brick had pulled into the shoulder lane.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his eyes baring through me intensely.

"Nothing," I replied firmly. I really didn't want to talk about _that _right now. Anything but that. I plastered a smile on my face, ready to change the topic. "So... Tell me about your dad!" I exclaimed.

Brick looked at me suspiciously and after a moment, he sighed, started the car again and got back on the road. He continued the conversation, "Well... He's been in charge of a lot of successful companies. And he's a pretty cool guy. He raised since we were a few days old."

"All by himself?" I inquired curiously.

"There's been a few serious girlfriends here and there, but nothing really stable," Brick shrugged. "We never had a mother figure growing up, but it didn't really matter," he said casually. "There _was _Ima Goodlady. God, I thought she'd never leave. I can't believe Dad dated her for five years. Five freaking years!" Brick shook his head.

"Was she that bad?" I asked incredulously.

"She was a whore," Brick started. "And she had this creepy thing for Butch. Seriously. It was creepy. Hell, we even nicknamed her Sedusa!" he chuckled.

I giggled. "Okay, so I take it you never liked any of your father's girlfriends?" I queried.

"Nope," Brick replied simply. "I mean, I want him to be happy. I really do. But all the women he's ever dated were all after his money. I'd be happy if Dad found someone who genuinely cared about him, not his stuff."

"That was... so deep..." I commented, a little surprised at the depth of Brick's words. "You never cease to amaze me, Brick," I grinned.

"I have that effect on people," Brick said smugly. I gave a sarcastic simper. Just then, we pulled into the driveway of an enormous mansion. It was breathtaking. It looked like a miniature castle, complete with rounded turrets and countless windows, balconies and columns. It was a light brown all around, with flecks of brickwork and white marble. The mansion was surrounded by the most beautiful gardens and a pool too.

"W-Wow," was all I could muster.

"Wait 'til you meet our butler," Brick smirked.

...

"'Sup, Norman?" Brick grinned.

"Hello, Master Brick," Norman replied in a heavy British accent. Whoa, okay, was this guy the coolest, or what? He turned towards me, "This must be your special guest," he concluded.

"Yup, Blossom, meet Norman, our butler. Norman, Blossom, my girlfriend," Brick introduced us.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Blossom," Norman responded cordially, nodding at me.

"It's nice to meet you too," I replied, a pleasantly surprised at his courtesy.

"Well, do come in," Norman motioned for us to enter. "I will tell Master Moe that you and your guest have arrived."

"Actually," Brick smirked, "More like _guests_. But more on that later."

"Right then," Norman closed the large door after Brick had led me in. He obviously didn't get what Brick was ostentatiously trying to imply. I couldn't help but giggling at that.

"Brick, my son! The one whom I have supplied half of my genome! Welcome!" Moe greeted as we stepped into the expansive foyer. "Dr. Utonium? I am most joyous that you will be joining us for dinner tonight. I am delighted that you have decided to dine with my son, my other sons and I this evening."

"Me too. Thank you for inviting me," I replied graciously. "And call me Blossom, please," I added. I felt his eyes on me, as if he trying to figure out something. He probably saw my baby bump, but didn't want to ask. "Um, I'm pregnant," I answered for him. Instead of dragging the process out like we did earlier, I thought it'd be better to get it done swiftly. Like removing a bandaid.

"Oh," Moe's eyes light up. "Does that mean... Will I be a grandfather?" he asked hopefully.

"Yup," Brick answered, grinning. "And they're twins by the way. One boy and one girl."

"That is most exciting news!" Moe exclaimed. "My heart is exuberant with joy. The figurative counterpart to my cardiac muscle is pounding. I am most jubilant," he finished. Well, I'm glad he's happy... Even though it took him a while to say so...

"They're due in about three months," I added.

He grinned, "I am most elated." We arrived in the lavish den where I saw my two sisters and Brick's two brothers. I flashed them a smile, but then turned back to Moe. Suddenly, his smile faded and he looked at us seriously. "Brick, Blossom, would you two like to sit down?"

"...Why?" Brick looked at Moe cautiously. Moe's glance shifted from Brick to Butch, then to Boomer.

"There's someone I'd like you to meet," Moe replied. To Brick, he said, "Actually, it's quite ironic. As you have brought a beautiful, intelligent, kind, professional of the medical field who's carrying your children, I have as well."

Brick just stared at Moe, "You knocked up some girl?" he asked, incredulous. Butch and Boomer stared at Moe while my sisters sent me a confused glance.

"Hey, don't judge!" Moe replied defensively.

Brick glared. "Who?" he asked finally. I could feel everyone in the room inch closer to Moe, dying to find out.

"Me," I heard a soft voice answer. It sounded familiar. "Well, twenty-eight years ago, I guess," she added with a soft laugh. I turned to the doorframe where she stood and my eyes widened in amazement. Holy crap, it was _Sara_. She gave Moe a warm smile, her hands clasped together below her stomach. Her wavy red hair that was normally up in a professional bun was down and she was wearing a crimson sundress with matching heels and a layer of popping ruby lipstick. She looked beautiful.

And it clicked. That's why she was so interested in what I had to say about Brick. That's why she didn't like talking about her own children. That's why she resembled Brick and his brothers so much. That's why I knew I liked her.

Brick came to the same conclusion. But instead of being happy, he was furious. "You... You..." he glowered. "You're our mother," he spat. He said the word 'mother' with so much hatred and malice, you'd think it was the worst word in the world.

"Yes," Sara replied simply, her eyes downcast. She looked up at her three sons, "You three hate me, I know. I'm a cold, heartless bitch, I know. I don't deserve a second chance, _I know_. I'm not asking for one," she said softly. "I'm not asking for you accept me in your lives. Moe just called me over for dinner and I couldn't refuse such a kind invitation," she sent a small smile to Moe.

"Wow, you're our mom," Boomer whispered, his cerulean eyes wide in admiration. "I'd never thought you'd be so pretty," he blurted. Bubbles giggled at that, but Brick sent his brother a hard glare.

"So you're a doctor?" Butch asked curiously. Sara nodded.

"Wait, what's your name?" Boomer questioned.

"Sara. Sara Bellum," she replied happily.

"Well, we don't care," Brick said acrimoniously. "You abandoned us and when we needed you, you weren't there! So we don't want you now!" he finished caustically. Everyone in the room fell to silence, not sure what to say. I personally liked Sara, but I didn't feel it was my place to come between them.

"Don't talk to your mother like that," Moe finally said. It was simple, he didn't elaborate.

"She's not my mother," Brick opposed. "She may have been a long time ago, but not anymore," he said bitterly.

I put a hand on his shoulder, trying to soothe him. "Brick," I whispered. "Don't say that."

"You know its true," Brick scowled. He sent his brothers and dad an angry glare, completely ignoring Sara. "I'm leaving," he announced, standing up. He raised an eyebrow at me, as if to ask if I was going to stay and hitch a ride back with someone else.

"I'll come with you," I said softly. I wanted to stay, but Brick was angry and I couldn't leave him by himself. In his current state, I feared he try something reckless. "Bye, you guys," I waved at my sisters, Butch, Boomer and Moe. "Bye, Sara. I'll see you Monday," I smiled at her. She may have made some mistakes in her life, but I think she really needed a smile right then.

And Brick wouldn't be quick to accept her, but she's a wonderful person and I know they'll get along when he does.

...

It had been a week since dinner with my parents and Brick's and I was due for my monthly appointment with Sara. Part of me was happy to visit her, but part of me was a little apprehensive to see her in a professional setting because I was aware of the truth. I think deep down, I had made the connection and always knew, but Brick's outburst last week shocked me and now, I wasn't sure how to feel about Sara. Actually, I think I was afraid of how she felt about me. I didn't stick up for her last week and I was scared that she resented me for that.

Anyway, speaking about my prenatal appointment, my pregnancy's been healthy. I've been gaining weight steadily and my baby bump protrudes enough so that everyone knows. Sometimes people will stop me in the hallway to exclaim their surprise and most people are shocked when I tell them I'm six and half months in already.

I love my babies, though. They're always moving now and their gentle rhythms are reassuring. I'm beginning to see stretch marks where my uterus is expanding and I've noticed my balance has been off lately, but that's probably because my center's shifted. I've been getting a few leg cramps, my feet have killing me and I pee even more frequently. But I wasn't complaining. I only had a few more months until I was going to be a mommy and that excited me.

Part of me couldn't stop speculating about my own mother, but I knew it was best to not think about her. I shook my head as I shoved my hands in the pocket of my whitecoat, waiting for an elevator to come up. Bored, I glanced around the hallway, trying to kill time. I didn't expect to see anyone considering this part of the building's been empty for a few months. I certainly didn't expect to see him.

His copper ponytail was a dead giveaway and combined with his strong shape, it was obvious.

"Brick Jojo," I could feel a smile curl onto my lips. He spun around, a cardboard box in his hands, and grinned at me.

"Well, well. If it isn't Blossom playing hooky," he smirked.

"I'm taking a break, Jojo," I simpered. "What are you doing here, though?" I asked, still unsure why he was at the hospital.

"Yeah, good to see you too, babe," he retorted. I raised an eyebrow to let him know that he still hadn't answered my question. He shrugged, "Just moving into my new office."

"Your... _what_?" I asked incredulously.

"Mayor talked me into it. Overhead at my firm was getting kinda annoying, so when he offered me a job as head of the malpractice department at Towns Gen, I listened. And then he showed me the salary," Brick smirked. "So looks like we're neighbors now?"

"You... work... here...?" I said slowly, trying to make sure I understood him right. "Just across from my office?" I added.

"Looks like it," he replied.

Wow, the infamous malpractice attorney Brick Jojo was switching to the good side. I guess that meant he'd represent me in court from now on. I grinned, "You can't hate doctors anymore," I realized.

"Uh, yeah I can," Brick scoffed.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, speaking of doctors... I'm about to visit mine. Wanna come with?" I suggested. It would be really nice to Brick accompany me on one of my prenatal appointments. There was just one little problem... The doctor. Brick hated Sara.

"You mean Sara Bellum?" Brick spat. "No thanks. I'll pass," he turned around and unlocked his office.

"Wait," I called out, following him into the expansive room. Wow, this place was bigger than _my _office!

"What?" Brick asked impatiently.

"I've had to go to all of these by myself... Will you just come with me once?" I pushed out my lower lip for persuasive effect.

Brick sighed, "I've got a lot of work to do Blossom." At my big, pleading eyes, he added, "M-Maybe next month?"

I think that was fair. If I was going to make him see Sara, then I should at least give him some time. "Alright," I smiled, content with that arrangement. I was about to leave when I remembered something. "Hey, Brick?"

"Yeah?" he murmured, sorting out some things on his desk.

Placing my hands on my baby bump, I said, "They've developed auditory canals now. They can listen to us," I whispered, referring to my twins.

"Really?" I don't think Brick realized how big his smile was right then.

I nodded, "I talk to them all the time," I giggled. "You should say something to them," I suggested.

"O-Okay," Brick replied, a little bit of hesitation in his voice. He walked towards me, put his hands on my swollen belly and then kneeled so that he was at height with the babies. It was a little awkward, but I didn't want to ruin the moment. "Do they have names yet?" he asked me.

"Not yet," I shook my head. "I'm still deciding."

"Well, um, hey," he started out awkwardly, surprised when he felt them kick. "I'm your father... And I hope one day you'll think of me as your dad. I'm kinda excited for you guys, but I'm a little nervous too," he swallowed. "I don't know you two yet, but I really care about you already."

"Aww," I cooed, gushing at his precious words. Brick flushed. "You're a sweetheart, you know that?" I fawned.

"Yeah, yeah," Brick mumbled as he stood up. I think he was embarrassed at that show of emotion, but he shouldn't have been. I thought it was absolutely endearing. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he looked down at me, not sure what to say.

"Well, I've got to go see Dr. Bellum," I started, turning away to leave. But before I left, I added, "But we'll be seeing much more of each other considering I work just down the hall."

"I'll be looking forward to that," Brick smirked.

"Good. You should," I gave him a wry smile and with my hand on my belly, I left, making my way to Sara's office.

...

_A week later..._

_(Bubbles' POV)_

"Aww, you're too sweet, Boomer," I giggled as I intertwined my fingers with his.

"It's all your fault for being so damn gorgeous," Boomer grinned back at me. I could feel a blush set in. "Anyway, I can't wait to see you and your team at sectionals next week."

"You're coming?" I asked, surprised. Me and my cheerleaders qualified, but I wasn't sure if people knew. Or if they were interested in supporting us.

"Of course. I gotta support my favorite girl," Boomer replied.

"Boomer," I gushed, wrapping my arms around him tighter, resting my head on his shoulder.

"I have to confess something, though," Boomer started, taking in a deep breath. Suddenly, I got nervous. He seemed serious and I wasn't sure what he would say next.

"Okay..." I prodded him.

"I didn't _just _bring you to the park to talk," he continued. We were walking before but now, he had come to a stop. I looked at him intently, biting my lip in anticipation. It was then I saw the hundreds of blue irises all over this section in the park. They weren't normally there... Were they? Either way, they looked gorgeous. "There's something I've wanted to do since the moment I saw you."

"W-What?" I asked, my lip quivering. I prepared myself for the worst.

Boomer surprised me when he got down on one knee and pulled something out of his pocket. Omigosh, was that what I think it was? Was he about to... Omigosh! Omigosh! OMIGOSH! _OMIIIGOSSHH!_

"Bubbles Utonium, you are the most beautiful woman I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. And I don't think I could live without you," he confessed. Swallowing he added, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Bubbles, will you marry me?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

I squealed, then covered my mouth as I looked at the ring in palm. It was a light blue sapphire with five little diamonds around it. It was beautiful. "Yes! Yes! YES!" I exclaimed.

Boomer looked down as his expression fell, "It's alright. I get it. You don't have to marry me. I hope we can still be- ...Wait, did you say yes?" Boomer looked at me quizzically.

"_YES!_" I gushed.

"R-Really?" Boomer stared up at me, wide-eyed.

"_YES!_" I yelled, the corners of my mouth starting to hurt because I was smiling so big!

"I love you, Bubbles," Boomer grinned as he slipped the ring on my finger. It was a perfect fit.

"I love you too!" I wrapped my arms around him as he stood up and kissed him passionately. It may have been th best kiss I've ever had.

That moment was amazing. The irises. The gorgeous ring. The fact that I'm spending the rest of my life with the sweetest guy in the world.

Absolutely amazing.

...

_(Buttercup's POV)_

"You haven't been keeping your end of the bargain," Ace narrowed his eyes at me maliciously.

I bit my lip. He was completely correct, but I wasn't going to let him know that. "It's kinda hard to avoid Butch considering his two brothers and dating my two sisters. And the fact that my sister's having his brother's kids in a few months," I added.

He glowered, clearly upset at something. But his words surprised me because I wasn't expecting him to change the subject. "You should be scared of me."

I glared, "I am not afraid of you," I told him firmly. In hindsight, that may not have been the smartest thing to say. But I couldn't let him know that I was terrified. I was always the toughest and I couldn't give that up now.

He sighed, "Look Butters, I like you. So I'll give you another chance. But don't blow it."

I took in a deep breath, "I won't."

"Good," Ace gave me a nod before slithering off. I was left in the dank alley, chills running down my spine. I had to control myself and I couldn't make the same mistakes like I did last time. I couldn't see Butch. At least not until I could figure out how to get us out of the mess...

As I stepped out onto the road, my phone went off. I pulled it out to see that I had one new message.

**Bubbles (received at 6:17 PM)**

**I'M GETTING MARRIED! :DDDD**

I couldn't help but smile at that. Little Bubbles went off to get herself a husband. It was about time Boomer proposed to her. But wait... This only meant one thing.

A wedding. And where there's weddings, there's dresses. And where there's Bubbles, there's no doubt I'm wearing one. _Great_.

...

_(Back to Blossom's POV)_

Bubbles was out on a date with Boomer and Buttercup had a late class at the gym, so I had the apartment to myself. I was really going to miss this place when we moved out... I hadn't started packing yet, but I knew I needed to soon.

After I got off early from work, I returned home with an insatiable craving for red velvet cake. Fortunately, we had the ingredients at home and in no time, I had whipped up a delicious cake. But by the time I had iced and decorated the cake, I wasn't hungry any more. Damn pregnancy hormones.

Those were really getting to me, but Sara assured me that everything was perfectly normal at my appointment last week. If anything, she seemed genuinely excited about the arrival of her grandchildren.

And me, with nothing else to do at the moment, plugged in my iPod, put it on shuffle and pulled out my phone to log into Facebook. I clicked on the icon with a big blue F and typed in my username and password. I was redirected to the home page where a little red number alerted me of my notifications.

**Robin Snyder and 41 other friends like your status.**

I smile to myself as I read over my latest status. It was about the twins and I was genuinely shocked at all the likes and positive comments it received. I clicked out of my profile and headed to my News Feed to look for some interesting posts. I continued to let my iPod play random songs as I kinda tuned myself out of the music. It wasn't until a little later when I started listening to what was playing.

_You're so damn pretty_  
_If I had a type then baby it'd be you_  
_I know you're ready_  
_If I never lied, then baby you'd be the truth_

_Here's the situation_  
_Been to every nation_  
_Nobody's ever made me feel the way that you do_  
_You know my motivation_  
_Given my reputation_  
_Please excuse I don't mean to be rude_

This sounded familiar. What was this song again...?

_But tonight I'm loving you_  
_Oh you know_  
_That tonight I'm loving you_  
_Oh you know_  
_That tonight I'm loving you_

Aww, damn it, Enrique. I pushed the pause button and let out a sigh of frustration. I loved this guy, but my kids probably shouldn't be listening to this kind of music. ...Even though they probably couldn't hear it... Actually... Giving it some thought, I realized how perfectly this song fit their conception. God, it was eerie.

Just then, the doorbell sounded and gave me an excuse to leave my thoughts. I pulled out my headphones and tossed my iPod and Android phone on the lower rack of the coffee table before getting up to answer the door. I peeked through the peep-hole and grinned.

"Hey there, handsome," I greeted as I opened the door for my boyfriend.

"Hey, babe," he grinned back.

"What are you doing here?" I asked curiously, eying the bag in his hand. It looked like food... I was suddenly starving.

"Why do you always ask me that?" Brick raised an eyebrow. "Can't a guy drop in to see his girlfriend from time to time?"

I simpered, "Sorry. And come on in," I motioned for him to enter the apartment.

As he walked in, I saw him sniff the air. "Did you bake a cake? Red velvet, maybe?" he asked.

...How did he know that? "Wow, nice, Scooby Doo," I teased. "How'd you figure that out?" I asked curiously.

He smirked, "You left the cake on the counter."

I rolled my eyes, "Of course." I studied him and the bag in his hand, "Whatcha got there?"

"Dinner," he replied, the corner of his lips twitching. "You like Chinese?"

"Mmhmm," I exclaimed, taking the plastic bag from him and setting the boxes on the coffee table. He sat down on the couch and I plopped beside him, snuggling up to my boyfriend. I grabbed a container of vegetable lo mein and dug in. I couldn't help thinking this was perfect. Here I was, in a scarlet tanktop and fuzzy zebra-print pajama pants, cuddling with my favorite guy while eating Chinese noodles. Just a few minutes ago, I was aimlessly hovering on Facebook and now, I was beside the one guy who made me so happy.

To be honest, never in a million years did I think this would happen to me. I think deep down, I always wanted to fall in love, but guys were so confusing and unpredictable. And they wanted just one thing. I guess that's why I went after Dexter forever ago. But I'm glad I took the risk now because being with Brick gave me this warm, fuzzy feeling that I haven't ever felt. Things between us weren't perfect- we were having a child out of wedlock, Brick had serious problem with his mother and we were both bogged down with ridiculous amounts of work, but somehow, I felt complete around him. And I wasn't sure what word to use to describe us other than 'perfect'.

Just then, my phone buzzed. I looked at it curiously, wondering who it could be instead of picking it up because it was too far away for me to reach over my swell.

"You gonna get that?" Brick lazily raised an eyebrow.

"I can't," I pouted. He must've thought it was adorable because he chuckled and handed it to me.

"Thank you!" I grinned as I slid my finger across the screen. Looks like I had a new message.

**Bubbles (received at 6:17 PM)**

**I'M GETTING MARRIED! :DDDD**

Bubbles was getting married? Oh my god, this was exciting! Yay, I'm so happy for her! I wonder how Boomer proposed... Aww, I can't wait to hear all about it!

"Okay, you're smile is starting to scare me," Brick teased. "What happened?"

"Your little brother's marrying my little sister!" I squealed.

Brick smirked, "So he finally proposed?"

"I guess," I shrugged, a smile still tugging at the corner of my mouth.

"He's had that ring for months," Brick chuckled, shaking his head. "Good for them."

Months? That made me wonder how long Bubbles and Boomer had actually dated. I think they were together for three months, split for two and back together for one. In all, they hadn't dated for more than four months. Four months wasn't very long at all. I couldn't help but ponder if they were rushing into things...

"Speaking of marriage..." Brick took me away from my thoughts. His uncertain tone made my eyebrows scrunch. Where was he going with this? "Where do you stand on that?"

"Stand on what?" I looked at him quizzically.

He swallowed. There was a moment of silence before, "Do you want to get married before the twins are born?"

"A-Are you proposing?" I inquired, confused. I studied his countenance, trying to understand what he was doing.

"Well, do you want me to?" he finally asked, his almost-crimson orbs staring into my rose ones.

"Not if you don't want to," I shook my head, still in a daze. "I don't want you to feel forced to marry me because I'm pregnant," I tried not to say it as acrimoniously as I thought it. "And I'm not ready for marriage. I mean, I've got enough on my plate."

Brick looked relieved. I couldn't help but give him a little smile at that. "So you just want to take this relationship for what it is? See where it goes..." he suggested.

"I'd like that," I said softly. "And if marriage is somewhere down the road, I won't be completely opposed to it."

"Sounds like a plan," Brick grinned, wrapping an arm around me as I slurped a noodle. I got a little bit of soy sauce on the corner of my mouth and he brought his hand to my lips, gently removing the sauce with his thumb. We were so close and there was barely any room between the two of us and I couldn't resist the urge to kiss him.

In that moment, everything was perfect. Completely, entirely, fully, utterly perfect.

...

_(Brick's POV)_

I was just filling up some paper work when I heard my office door click open. My first instinct was that it was Blossom, but looking up, that couldn't be further from the truth. Standing before me was this brunette nurse. Her face was caked with make-up and I'm pretty sure her eyelashes were fake, but there was something alluring about her. Maybe it was her plump, juicy-looking lips, her perfect figure or the fact that she _wasn't_ Blossom.

"Can I help you?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I heard you were new here," she started, giggling a little bit. "I just wanted to make sure you felt welcome," she approached me, swinging her hips suggestively.

"Okay." I had built up immunity to these kinds of tactics years ago, but a part of me just wanted to chuck it all and bang this chick. These last few weeks have been really intense on me- the twins, Blossom, my mother Sara Bellum, this new job... I was loaded down with responsibility that I never asked for or wanted in the first place. I was tired to being the guy that you could depend on, the guy who everyone comes to when they need help. I haven't even had sex in months because of Blossom. I guess it's not her fault, but I'm a guy. And... I'm a guy.

"Screw it," I mumbled, getting out of my chair to meet her. "I'm Brick."

"Susan," she said flirtatiously. "And Dr. Utonium doesn't to find out about this," she added, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Good," I smirked, I grabbing her as she shoved her tongue down my throat.

This wouldn't take long at all and it wasn't going to hurt anyone.

...

_(Blossom's POV)_

It's been a week since Bubbles got engaged. She's been so excited planning her wedding! She actually called me over to the tailor's because she wanted us to get our dresses fitted. I told her I'd come as soon as I finished work, which was... right about now. I had just seen my last patient and I was heading out. Brick's office was on the way, so I thought I'd stop by to see him for a moment. I paused outside of his office and knocked gently to let him know I was here. He didn't reply and the blinds were shut, so I tried opening the door. It was unlocked.

"Brick-" my thought was cut short by the sight in front of me. Brick had this brunette nurse from West Unit pinned to his desk, his mouth and hands all over. She giggled as she ran her hands through his shaggy copper hair and as she unbuttoned his shirt while his hands explored her waist and hips. I was frozen in shock, trying to figure out if that was really Brick. Maybe it was all a misunderstanding. Maybe I was imagining it. Brick wouldn't randomly make out with some slutty nurse... Right?

But I guess I was wrong. What we had was too perfect. Of course it wouldn't last. My lip quivered and I fought back the hot tears welling in my eyes.

"Brick Jojo," I said firmly. His head snapped up and his eyes widened. The brunette just raised an eyebrow.

"Blossom," Brick said breathlessly.

"I knew this was too good to last..." I murmured, bringing my hand to my mouth, shutting my eyes to hold back tears. I just looked at him, disappointment in my big pink eyes, before quickly turning around and running out. I couldn't cry here.

I guess all good things have to come to an end. It was foolish of me to trust Brick with my heart. It was silly of me to think I could change him. It was idiotic of me to accept that Brick really cared about me and the babies.

I was a real moron for believing the lies Brick's fed me for the past two months.

A real frickin' moron.

...

**POOR BLOSSOM! D':**

**Of course I have to end it dramatically! Tee hee, don't forget to leave me a review! Reviews make me happy and when I'm happy, I write faster and when I write faster, y'all will know what happens next sooner! **

**I'm not trying to be evil (:**

**I hope you enjoyed the update! Thanks for reading. And if you have a few moments, please leave me your thoughts! **


	9. The Eighth Month, Part 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the Powerpuff Girls. There, happy?

**Author's Note: **Gah, I know it's been FOREVER since I've updated and I'm really sorry. I wrote up about half of Month 8 and then it got deleted... Sniffle. And then I guess I just got caught up in all this work real life had for me, so... Anyways. I had little trouble writing this chappie, but I hope you guys like it. The Eighth Month is gonna be a long one, so I thought I'd at least give you the first half because you've waited so long (:

I really, really appreciate all of the reviews! I got almost thirty on this last chappie and that makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside :3 I know I made a lot of you mad with the very end of the seventh month, but I promise it'll all get better. I mean, I am a sucker for a happy ending :D

Welp, I don't have anything else to day (I think...). Except there's a lot of POV switching between Brick and Blossom.

I sincerely hope you enjoy this!

**My Brick/Blossom Picks: **If you like shameless namedropping, I think you'll enjoy these. If not, just go straight to the fic! If you go read any of these fics, I hope you leave the authors a few kind words because these are all wonderful stories!

1.** Lie to Me** by **SNAZZY19** is a really cool AU type story. Basically, Blossom's going undercover to get information on dictator-esque Brick's next plans, except there's gonna be a fun twists going on. It's really fun and exciting and I beta it, so you should definitely check it out!

2. **Unbridled** by **Hermeown** is amazing. Seriously. It's the sequel to another action-packed story and this is just masterfully crafted. The plot is so intricate and villains are absolutely devious. It really keeps you at the edge of your seat the entire time. The Brick/Blossom doesn't come until around the middle, but it's so cleverly written that I relished every moment!

3. **More Than Human **by **sbj** is another insanely amazing PPG/RRB high-school fic. It really stands out from the rest because of the wonderful characterizations and the detailed plot. It's rated M for language, but if that doesn't bother you, I seriously suggest you check it out. It's over 177,000 words of brilliance and most definitely worth the time reading!

Special Mention: Okay, if you haven't read **Taking Responsibility** by **Somewei-** close out of my story, find it, read it and then come back. Seriously. Don't come back here until you've read Taking Responsibility because that fic is AMAZING. I feel like I shouldn't even have to mention it because it may be the best PPG fic on this site; it's full of action, romance, suspense and drama. It's AU about if Mojo had taken over the world and the girls didn't come back to Earth until they were like 16. They disguise themselves and create aliases to infiltrate Mojo and the Rowdyruffs so they can defeat them and save the world. It's absolutely wonderful and the Brick/Blossom is incredible.

...Now, onto the fic! :D

...

_(Blossom's POV)_

I couldn't hold back my tears. I couldn't hold back the emotion flooding through me right now. And those damn pregnancy hormones weren't making anything better.

"I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding," Bubbles tried to console me as the tailor wrapped measuring tape around her.

Yeah, a big misunderstanding. I completely misunderstood everything. I was wrong. So, so wrong. I couldn't have been more wrong about Brick. Why did I think he had changed? How I could fool myself into believing he was a good person? How did I let myself fall in love with his charade?

Why did I have to fall in love?

I fell in love with such an amazing guy. He was kind and considerate and sweet and clever. He was so intelligent and ambitious and dedicated. He loved his family and he cared about me. He cared about my babies. He was charming and witty and he made me feel so special. He was perfect. He _wasn't_ Brick Jojo. Hell, he didn't exist.

It's not that Brick had his tongue down some other girl's throat, it's that he wanted to. He was enjoying it. He was after that hedonistic pleasure and now that I think about it, it was surprising how long he stayed with me. Why would he when I was just responsibility?

But I didn't need him. I was perfectly capable of living my life without that liar. He may have broken my heart, shattered it into a thousand little pieces, but I was strong. And I didn't need him. I needed a real man. Not a web of lies like Brick.

...Who was I kidding? I wanted him. I wanted him so bad. Every time I was around him, I felt so different. So whole. So complete. He was _made _for me. But the voice inside of me reminded me that he didn't exist.

And that's what crushed me.

"Y-Yeah," I choked out, forcing a smile to my sisters. I looked at the kind, older lady who was now measuring me and jotting down the numbers. "Like this?" I asked her, raising my hand above my head. She nodded. She wrapped the yellow tape around my large belly loosely and added a few inches to the measurement as she wrote it down. I wasn't sure if she needed to considering I wouldn't have this swell in about two more months.

"We love you," Buttercup wrapped her arms around my shoulder in an uncharacteristically gentle manner. The woman measuring her frowned and Buttercup sighed, standing up straight again. "And if you need me to kick someone's ass..." she cracked her knuckles. There's the Buttercup I know and love.

"I'm alright," I couldn't help but give a genuine grin at this. "I mean, I'll be alright," I sniffled. "Nothing a little ice cream and a few chick flicks won't fix," I lied. The lady finished measuring me and gave me a final nod before leading.

"Good," Bubbles rested her head on my shoulder. Suddenly, she shot up and brought her hands to her mouth, "Omigosh, I wanted to tell you guys about the wedding!"

"Go ahead," Buttercup replied carefully.

"This is so exciting!" she squealed. "I can't wait to get married!"

"When _is _the wedding?" I asked curiously.

"Well..." a smile curled on Bubbles' lips. "Boomie and I were thinking in a few months. But... The chapel I always _dreamed _of getting married in-"

"The one near the lake? With the garden?" I interjected.

Bubbles grinned, "That's the one. See, normally you have to wait like a year to book something, but this one couple cancelled and there was an opening," she explained, her cheeks round with her smile. Plopping down on the couch, she lifted a giant binder onto her lap. Opening it, she began to flip through pages of wedding dress designs.

"When is it?" Buttercup looked at Bubbles, curious as she sat beside her.

"In two weeks!" she exclaimed. "And we took it!"

"W-Wow," was all I could muster. Not that I wasn't happy for her, but two weeks? That wasn't much time to plan a wedding! Realizing that I was the only one still standing, I too sat beside my sisters on the plush sofa in the tailor's shop. I rested my hand on my swollen belly, gently feeling the kicking rhythm of my children.

"It's perfect. It's not too close to Blossom's due date and Boomie said it would work perfect with our honeymoon plans," Bubbles gushed. Suddenly, her smile faltered. Biting her lip, she turned towards me. "There might be a small problem..."

"What?" I looked at her quizzically. Uh oh, how small was this problem?

"Well... Boomer's brothers have to be there," she answered softly. It hit me like a pound of bricks. Or should I say, a single Brick? Damn it, he'd be there. I didn't want to see him. I couldn't see him. "I understand if you don't want to come..." her eyes fell and she looked down.

"Bubbles," I took in a deep breath and put my hand over hers. "Nothing, and I mean _nothing_, is going to stop me from being there on the happiest day of your life. I'm coming," I told her, looking directly in her cerulean eyes.

She frowned, "Blossom, I don't want you to go if you have to see Brick. He's a big meanie and I don't want you to be sad," her lip quivered.

"I won't be," I told her confidently. That was a lie. I was _very _sad right now. And I probably still would be in two weeks. But it wasn't fair for me to let my problems get in the way of Bubbles' happiness. "I want to come. Really."

She grinned, "That means a lot. I'm glad my Maid of Honor will be there."

"Whoa, hold on," Buttercup started. "_She's_ the maid of honor?"

"I thought you didn't like wearing a dress," Bubbles teased playfully.

"Well, if I'm wearing one already-" I interrupted Buttercup.

"Let Buttercup be the Maid of Honor. I don't mind," I suggested. I _did _mind, but I didn't want to get into a big fight over this.

"Oh, she is," Bubbles smiled. "And you are too!"

Buttercup and I gave her a blank stare.

"There's no reason I can't have two!" Bubbles replied cheekily as she turned another page.

...

_(Brick's POV)_

"_What _did you do?" Boomer looked at me incredulously. I glared.

"Dude, you realize when you're dating a hot chick, you're not supposed to bang one of the nurses that work for her, right?" Butch raised an eyebrow. I glared at him too.

"And she's pregnant! Dude, you knocked her up and then you cheat on her?" Boomer ranted.

These two needed to shut up. Yeah, I ruined everything, but they weren't making me feel any better. "Okay, I screwed up, I know. Now the shut the hell up," I glowered.

I wasn't in the mood for this. I needed to get my mind off of Blossom.

I needed to get wasted, do something, do some_one_.

Anything to get my mind off of Blossom.

_Anything._

...

_(Blossom's POV)_

For the past two weeks, I've been going out of my way to avoid Brick. I hate that he works just down the hall from me. I try to block him out, but it's hard not to see him flirt with everything that has breasts. I don't know if he stands directly where I can see him on purpose, but he does. Every time I see the back of his auburn locked head, I remember how I foolish I was to believe I loved him. It's hard enough to not see him; I can't bear the thought of actually having a conversation with the guy.

But it wasn't about me... Tonight was Bubbles and Boomer's wedding rehearsal and I wasn't going to miss it for the world. I probably would encounter Brick, but I had to suck it up. I'll play it cool... I can't let him know how much he meant to me... How much I cared about him... How much I _loved _him.

My situation was a little unconventional, but for a little while, I genuinely believed I'd have the family I always dreamed of. But it was stupid of me to think I could change Brick... Men like him can't change. I got my hopes up just to be shattered and I couldn't let it happen again.

The one time I'm open to love and romance and all those other things I've avoided my whole life, the world comes crashing down around me. And I think... I think I'm done with it.

Done with hoping for the best. Done with believing people can change. Done with opening my heart.

I wanted nothing to do with it anymore. I had my sisters who loved me. And in about six weeks, I'd have my babies, and they would be the world to me. I didn't need anything or any_one_ else.

...But I knew that was a lie. I wanted Brick. I loved him. I desperately wanted him to be the man I thought he was. I knew he couldn't be that hedonistic womanizer, deep down. The way he cared for me and the babies was too genuine for anyone to fake. Brick wasn't the horrible person he was pretending to be... Was he? He couldn't be.

The rational part of my brain told me not to get my hopes up. It would be easier to think he couldn't be anymore than what he was. It would be better if I just kept my distance from him. I couldn't let myself fall for his lies again.

My eyes started to water when I remembered my appointment with Sara next week. Brick promised he'd come with me...

Just then, my phone buzzed. Wrapping up my thoughts, I pulled it out my pocket to see a reminder pop up. It was nearly six! I had to go! I shoved my phone back into my whitecoat and gathered my things together. There was a stack of papers concerning the deed of the house. I had to sign those soon... Exhaling, I pulled out a paper clip and snapped it onto the crisp papers and filed them into my bag. I picked up the paperback book on my desk, _Baby Names That Start With B_, and put that into my bag as well. I couldn't help but smile thinking about the doggy-eared pages inside. I had narrowed down my search, but I was still contemplating names for my babies.

That was the last of it, so I tossed my bag onto my shoulder, grabbed the patient files on my desk and walked out. Before leaving the floor, I passed off the files to Isabelle (who was still at work on a Friday night?) and then headed out.

...

The wedding rehearsal ran pretty smoothly. It wasn't a dress rehearsal because the tailor was still putting the finishing touches on our dresses, plus Bubbles wanted to keep her dress a surprise. We all gathered in the little chapel and practiced the processional and Bubbles and Boomer went through their vows. Buttercup and I just kinda stood on the side with imaginary bouquets in our hands. Overall, the whole thing didn't last long and was over before I knew it.

We all kinda scattered, Bubbles and Boomer going around to finalize details and me sticking with Buttercup. I knew Brick was here somewhere and I knew it was cowardly, but I didn't want to face him alone.

...Speak of the devil. Oh, why'd I have to think about him? Straight in front of us was Butch and Brick, talking to Moe. I wasn't sure if Sara if was coming to the wedding, but I kinda hoped she would.

"Butterbutt," Butch grinned at her. He looked to me, "Blossom. Future niece and nephew," he acknowledged us.

Buttercup slapped Butch on the shoulder lightly in response and I gave him a small smile in reply. I glanced at Brick, but his countenance was carefully guarded.

"Dr. Utonium! It is most pleasant to see you here," Moe started. I had a feeling he would go into one of his monologues, but just then, Boomer pulled him to the side. He looked nervous. I wonder what happened...?

"Little bro, you alright?" Butch looked at Boomer.

"Y-Yeah. Never better," Boomer replied.

"I-" Brick was about to go, but Butch cut him off.

"I got this," Butch walked to his blond brother. Brick sent him an angry glare. He probably didn't want to be left alone with me and Buttercup.

...Buttercup! Where'd she go? I whipped my head around to see her in the corner of the room, on the phone. She looked angry.

Damn, it was just me and Brick now. What was I going to say? Brick didn't look like he was in the mood for talking. He didn't look like he was in the mood for _anything_. I couldn't sense an ounce of emotion on his face. I decided that silence would be the best option, so I surprised myself when words started to come out of my mouth before I stop them.

"I bet you love weddings," I said, my voice dripping with bitterness.

"Who doesn't?" Brick replied coolly. I hated not seeing emotion from him. Anger, hatred, frustration- _anything_. His indifferent demeanor chilled me.

"I mean, with all the desperate women to nail," I added, chuckling mirthlessly. That's probably the only reason he was here.

Brick smirked, "Of course."

"A word of advice," I simpered, "Remember to shove a condom on your filthy-ass dick," I spat. The coarseness of my language must've taken him by surprise because he didn't reply immediately.

After a pause, "I'm not making that mistake again," he responded coldly, his eyes quickly flitting to my protruding belly. I would've missed it if I wasn't studying his features so closely.

"Go screw yourself, Brick," I gave him a cold, hard stare before walking off.

"You already did," he called out after me. I could hear the smirk he had plastered on in his smug, irritating voice.

Screw him.

(...No, I didn't want to!)

...

_(Brick's POV)_

Butch put together a bachelor party for Boomer after the rehearsal. I didn't want to go, but I couldn't let my brothers think something was up. The truth was that, the caustic words Blossom and I had exchanged earlier unnerved me. Never before had I seen her so angry and bitter. Never before had anything like that bothered me. ...But it did. And I think I knew why.

Anything but that. _Anything_. Anything but that infernal L-Word.

But there was no denying it. Hell, I think I was going crazy. No matter how much alcohol I've had, or how many chicks I've banged these past two weeks... I can't get my mind off of her. I hate thinking about it because every time her flawless face pops up in my thoughts, I feel this awful feeling wash over me.

Was it... guilt? I wasn't familiar enough with the emotion to say. But if it was, it was tearing me apart. I couldn't come to terms with what I did to her. I broke her heart. I'm a horrible person. But maybe... Maybe Blossom doesn't think that. But is there really good in me?

...I needed to fix this. I couldn't live like this anymore... I couldn't constantly feel this horrible sensation every time I saw her. Every time I thought of her. How could I live with myself after I tore her apart? What kind of monster was I?

But I couldn't apologize either... Blossom's made it clear that she hates. That she never loved me. That she probably wouldn't mind never seeing my face again.

Maybe I just needed to talk to her... Show her that I really screwed up and that I would do anything for her. Anything for our children...

"Dude, you with us?" Butch snapped his fingers right in front of my face. Instinctively, I grabbed his wrist, but I let it go as I cast my thoughts aside.

After a pause, "Yeah, where else would I be?" I smirked, taking a swig of my beer. I looked at Boomer, "What'd you need from Dad and Butch earlier?"

"Huh?" he looked at me quizzically. A pause. "Oh yeah, nothing."

"...You just left me there for no reason, then?" I raised an eyebrow, my voice chillingly low.

"Dude, you need to sort things out with Blossom. That's why we left you there," Butch chipped in.

I glared, "No, I don't. And if I did, I wouldn't need your help."

"Riiight," Butch rolled his eyes. I needed another beer.

"Butch... Can we go now? We've been at this place long enough," Boomer said hesitantly.

Butch glared, "This is the last night your balls aren't locked up in Bubbly's purse. So enjoy it. I ordered us the best strippers this place has to offer."

Boomer frowned, "You know I don't like women having to debase themselves like that."

"Yeah, we know," Butch chuckled, "But these ladies don't do it because they have to. They do it because they love to."

"You speaking from experience?" I joined in on their conversation.

Butch grinned, "You know it. They're sisters. And damn, they're fine."

"You land any of them yet?" I asked casually, taking another swig.

Butch frowned and didn't reply immediately, causing Boomer and I to burst into laughter.

"Shut up," Butch glared, "I'm working on it. And little brother, you better appreciate the hard work I put into getting them for you," he looked to Boomer. Boomer just frowned in response. Just then, music started to play and the lights on the center stage dimmer. "Shh, it's about to start," Butch whispered, leaning forward.

The lights came on to reveal three women dancing. All of them had on a tight little outfit that showcased their near-perfect assets. One was a blonde, one had black hair and one was a redhead. Taking a closer look at the redhead wrapped around the pole, I noticed she looked an awful lot like another redhead I knew...

Oh god, now I was seeing her _everywhere_. I'm definitely losing it.

After the music stopped, the three girls collectively walked over to our table. The blonde was in the middle, her sisters on either side of her.

"Now who's the lucky groom?" the salacious blonde asked flirtatiously. Her curled hair was up in pigtails and she had an exorbitant amount of makeup on, especially around her eyes. She was wearing a tiny sequined turquoise top that revealed a large amount of cleavage, a blue belly-button ring, a black ruffled skirt that barely covered her ass and black thigh-high leather boots. Actually, if she took off that body glitter... She'd look a lot like Bubbles.

"M-Me," Boomer squeaked. I think he realized the same thing.

"What's your name, cutie?" she giggled, leaning in closer to him. "I'm Brat."

"B-Boomer," he stuttered.

"It's nice to meet you, Boomer," she whispered huskily. Grabbing his tie, she forced him up. "Let's go to the back room so I can give you your wedding present," she led him away seductively. I looked back up to see Butch walk away with the green stripper (who looked unnaturally similar to another green-eyed girl Butch was after...).

Studying the redhead closer, maybe I wasn't crazy to think that she looked like Blossom. Her fiery red hair was held together with a messy crimson ribbon and like her other sisters, she had on an inordinate amount of make-up and body glitter. If she traded in her magenta corset, black ruffled 'skirt' and hot pink heels for something a little more respectable, I would've mistaken her for Blossom eight months ago.

"You look lonely, handsome. What's your name?" the stripper took a seat on the empty table, crossed her legs and put her eight-inch heeled feet a few inches to the right of me.

"Brick," I replied carelessly. Any other day, I might've been interested in the Blossom-doppelganger, but not today. I wasn't up for screwing around right now.

"I'm Berserk," she giggled, leaning in closer to me. If she was any closer, I'm pretty sure my head would've gotten lost in her cleavage. "You looking for a good time?" her lips curled into a grin.

"Yeah, I'm not really into paying for sex," I responded. Honestly, I kinda wanted to get this whore off of me so I could go home.

"You won't have to," she giggled, running her hands down my chest.

"Thanks, but no thanks," I stood up. Taking out my wallet, I pulled out a $100 bill and left it on the table. "That should take care of the beer," I told her. Eying her up and down, I added, "Use the extra to buy yourself something decent."

She looked at me, dumbfound, not sure how to reply. I smirked and walked off.

I could've easily nailed that Berserk chick, but I didn't. And I think it was because... Because I loved Blossom.

Damn, did I really pass up that ass for nothing? I hope not.

I was going to fix this. I wasn't sure how... But I was going to fix this.

...

_The next day..._

...

_(Blossom's POV)_

"No way. No way in hell!" Buttercup yelled.

"BC, calm down," I tried to assuage her.

"Nope. No. _Hell_ no," she replied.

Bubbles' eyes started to water, "I can't believe it! How could they do this?

My eyes widened, "Not you too, Bubbles!"

She sniffled, "Now it's ruined! Everything's ruined!" she cried.

I sent a warning look to Buttercup, raising my eyebrow as if to ask 'happy?'.

Buttercup sighed and reluctantly started, "Don't cry, Bubbles. This is supposed to be a good day for you. Don't let something stupid like this get in your way."

"Yeah," I added, with a smile. "And there's still some time, so maybe we work on fixing it, okay?" I asked gently.

Her lip quivered, "O-Okay, you guys! You're the bestest sisters ever!" She wiped off her tears to give us a beaming smile.

"We know," Buttercup and I replied at the same time. We looked over to each other and grinned.

I picked up the three white boxes on the table and opened them up. Popping the lid off of the first one, I saw an elegant white dress with flecks of blue. That was Bubbles' dress. I passed it to her. The next box had a rose silk dress and I sighed. That was Buttercup's. And the last box had a _huge _emerald bridesmaid's dress. Yup, it was maternity sized- mine.

I can't believe those idiots screwed up our dresses.

I wasn't happy with the mix-up, but... I didn't want to verbalize those feelings and upset my sisters even more. I guess the tailor's mixed up our measurements two weeks ago. I could call them and see if they could fix the dresses... Or maybe if they could just whip up some more before... five hours from now.

But until then, I would the green dress and Buttercup would -reluctantly- wear the pink one. It wasn't going to be pleasant, but we cared about Bubbles and weren't going to ruin her big day.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" I grinned. "We've only got five hours to get you ready for the biggest day of your life, Bubbles!"

She squealed, "Let's get started!"

...

_(Brick's POV)_

"Wait, so let me hear if I heard you right..." Butch started, grinning. "You're on the other side of town and need us to pick you up? Oh, and you need us to bring you a pair of pants?"

_"Some advil would be great too_," Boomer groaned from the other side of the line.

"Little brother, I'm proud of you. On your wedding day, too!" Butch exclaimed.

_"It wasn't like that... Brat and I didn't- OH SHIT, I'M GETTING MARRIED TODAY!_"

"It's not too late to back out," Butch replied, pretending as if he cared.

_"Ugh, can you guys just hurry?" _

"Don't listen to Butch," I finally pipped in. "And we're almost there," I added as I hit the gas pedal once the light turned green.

_"Thanks... And can we not mention any of this to Bubbles or her sisters?" _Boomer asked hesitantly.

"What happens at the bachelor party, stays at the bachelor party," Butch put Boomer's fears to rest.

_"Great. Can you-_" Boomer stopped as I pulled in front of him. Taking a look at the guy in front of the abandoned warehouse, I couldn't help but chuckle. His normally perfect blond hair was disheveled, his shirt needed to be pressed, his tie was on backwards and his lack of pants was even funnier considering he had on blue boxers with white puppies on them.

"Dude," Butch said in between laughs. "What happened to you?" he held his head as he chuckled raucously.

"Nothing," Boomer grumbled as he climbed into my BMW. "At least nothing I need to tell you guys about," he muttered.

"What was that?" I asked, my eyebrow raised.

"Forget about it," Boomer groaned, rubbing his temples.

"Need some coffee?" Butch inquired after he finished his laughing fit. "There's a Starbucks right here," he added. Boomer nodded, a thankful look on his face.

This guy needed a break. He obviously had a terrible (or amazing) night, but we only had a few hours until we had to be at the chapel.

"Let's get coffee, but then we need to get ready. Don't want to keep your bride waiting, do you?"

...

_(Blossom's POV)_

"You look gorgeous," I whispered to my little sister. Buttercup nodded in agreement.

Bubbles blushed. She was in a designer Vera Wang white strapless gown with blue accents. The neckline was straight all around and the corset helped push up certain assets. The corset stopped at the waist and then bushed out into a huge skirt that looked like it was supported by a hoop. There was a sheer gossamer layer over the entire dress and gems encrusted strategically. Every now and then, there was a cerulean fleck that complemented Bubbles' eyes perfectly. Her hair was up in an elegant up-do and she wore a light layer of make-up along with diamond earrings. So in a word- gorgeous.

"Thanks," she flushed. "I just hope Boomie likes it."

"Of course he will. Girl, you look _fine_," Buttercup grinned.

Bubbles smiled back, but suddenly, she faltered. "W-Where is Boomie? We've only got an hour until the wedding... Shouldn't he be here at the chapel already?" she asked, the worry seeping through her voice.

"I'm sure they're on their way," I allayed her concerns. "Plus, we've still got some time and-" I stopped when I heard the sound of an engine outside. Peeking through the window in the dressing room, I saw a black stretch limo pull up and out of it, stepped three men in tuxedos. Boomer, Butch and Brick. I couldn't help but note how great Brick looked in his black tux and red tie and vest combination. "Yeah, they're here," I turned away from the window to face my sisters.

Bubbles let out a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness. I was terrified he wasn't going to come!"

"Why wouldn't he?" Buttercup put a hand on Bubbles' shoulder in an attempt to lighten her spirits.

Her eyes started to water and her lip trembled, "You're right! Why _would_ Boomer want to marry me?"

Buttercup's eyes widened, "That is _not _what I said!"

I was about to step in when my phone went off. Glancing at the number, I recognized it as the tailor. "Um, I've got to take this. Buttercup, make sure she doesn't start crying!"

Buttercup sent me a terrified look and I returned it with an apologetic smile. Picking up the hem of my green dress, I stepped out of the dressing room and walked out to the side of the chapel. I flicked the touchscreen of my phone and put the handheld to my ear.

"Are the dresses done yet?" I started.

...

_(Brick's POV)_

After we got Boomer to calm the hell down, we went back to our place to get ready. The tailors had sent over our tuxedos and it didn't take too long for us to put them on. As soon as we were done, we hopped into the limo Boomer had ordered and arrived at the chapel.

I felt kinda stupid in this penguin suit, but I thought the crimson vest and tie was a nice touch. My brothers were wearing the same thing, except Boomer's tie and vest were sapphire, Butch's were jade. We walked into the men's dressing room where we'd wait until the wedding started. I could just tell that Boomer was nervous out of his mind and who could blame him? The guy _was _getting married in an hour.

I let my thoughts drift off to Blossom. What was she wearing? How was she handling the wedding? Was she thinking about me too?

I cursed myself for thinking such silly and inane thoughts. I mean seriously, what the hell? I needed to take a breath of fresh air, so I excused myself from my brothers and stepped into the lobby. I didn't really want to talk to anyone; I just needed to get my thoughts together.

"Hello, Brick," I heard a familiar, feminine voice say from behind me. Apparently, we all had different plans. I didn't want to talk to anyone, especially not _her._

"What do you want, Sara Bellum?" I growled as I spun around.

She returned my scowl with a gentle smile, "Just wanted to see how you were doing, Brick."

"I'm doing fine. Now go away," I replied caustically. Why the hell was she here anyway?

I swear she read my thoughts because she answered, "Boomer invited me. And I was actually just looking for Blossom," she explained. "You doing the same thing?" she raised her eyebrow.

"Wha-No!" I stammered. I most certainly was _not _looking for Blossom.

"Right," Sara gave me a knowing smile. "Don't think you can fool me, Brick."

I narrowed my eyes, "You don't even know me," I spat. Why did she think she did?

"I never said that," she clarified. Taking a breath of air, she added, "Brick, I lie the same way, so I can tell."

"I will never be like you," I growled, my voice barely a low whisper.

"You're saying you're not ambitious?" she whispered. Continuing, her voice became louder with each word, "Prideful? Too hung up on your own problems to see that there's someone out there who _needs _you? Too weak to take responsibility for the children you're bringing into this world?"

I would've replied to her comment with a caustic remark, but I didn't. ...I couldn't. How could I when her words were true?

She sighed, "Brick, Blossom loves you. I know she does."

"You don't know anything," I muttered, almost childishly. Were we making up for all those lost years now?

"I know you love her too," Sara murmured, taking a step closer to me. She put her warm hand gently on my cheek. "You're not a bad person, Brick."

"I'm a monster," my eyes fell downcast. I wanted to rip her hand off of my face, but I couldn't. It was so warm... And lovely. Motherly.

"No, you're _not_," she said, more forcefully this time. "Right now you're pretending to be. Trying to fool yourself into thinking you're some douchy man-whore, but you're not. You're kind, and clever and intelligent and... And a great guy. You're the guy Blossom fell in love with. She's heartbroken because she thinks you don't exist anymore. But I _know _you _do_."

"I..." I was a loss for words. How was it that Sara said the most comforting words I've heard in such a long time?

"Go show her you're really here," she whispered, giving me a reassuring smile.

"I will," I replied confidently.

"Good," Sara gave me a little nod and turned away.

"Hey, um," I started, trying to get her attention. She turned around and looked at me. "Uh, thanks," I shoved my hands into my pockets.

"Anytime," she beamed before walking off.

So maybe I was wrong about her... Maybe Sara wasn't so bad after all.

...

_(Omniscient POV)_

About five men stood in an abandoned warehouse. All of them were green and had greasy black hair. One particular man stood out among them, with his shiny black sunglasses, it was obvious that he was the leader of the pack.

"Not scared of me, I'll show her!" he growled.

"Acess, letsss teach her a lessson," one of the men said.

"You know I will," he glowered.

"Duh, are we talking about that, duh, pretty girl you were talking to yesterday on duh phone?" the largest man asked.

"Who else?" the little one said, a twinge of a Latin accent in his words. "Boss, let's bring her back here and give her a good scare. She'll know better than to not fear you!"

"That's not a bad idea," Ace commented as he played with the toothpick in his teeth.

"Wait, if she's at a wedding with a bunch of other people, how we will know who's her?" the little one inquired.

"She'll be the bridesmaid in green. I just know it," Ace chuckled.

"Soundss like our kind of girl. Letss go."

...

_(Brick's POV)_

After Sara left, I made up my mind to go talk to Blossom. If Sara was right, then Blossom still loved me. All I had to do was prove I was a good guy. And the first step towards that would be to find her and talk to her. I wasn't just doing it for me, because I loved her; I wanted to be on good terms with her for the kids too. They were coming soon and I didn't want them to grow up without both of their parents.

I looked outside the window and Blossom was still on the phone in the courtyard. I pulled out my phone to check the time. Good, I still had some before I had to report back here for the ceremony. Taking a quick final glance at her, I couldn't help but note how odd she looked in green. I mean, don't get me wrong, she's gorgeous in everything (and nothing at all), but she never wore green. It looked more like Butch or Buttercup's color.

...God, I sound ridiculous. It's a damn color, moron, stop freaking out. Just go talk to her and quit wasting your time.

Inhaling, I straightened out my tux and walked out of the chapel. I rounded the corner of the church, ready for the worst. I was prepared for her to dump me on my ass, flat out reject me or worse.

...But I wasn't ready to see this.

Where Blossom once stood was a single diamond earring and a note. I shoved the earring in my pocket and picked up the paper. I scanned the mismatched letters and it didn't take long for me to realize this was a ransom note.

Someone took Blossom. Some freaking criminal kidnapped _my _Blossom and abducted my children.

I couldn't contain my anger.

I was furious. Enraged. Incensed. Ferocious. Infuriated. Raging. Fuming. Boiling. Livid. And every single other adjective for the word 'angry' you could think of. I felt fire pulse through my veins as I clutched the flimsy note, growling in frustration. Suddenly, I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of stomach.

Where_ was_ Blossom? Was she okay? What about the kids?

If anything happened to her... If _anything_ happened to her, I don't know if I could survive. I loved her. And what if I never got to tell her? What if this was the end? I swallowed.

"Dude, what are you doing out here?" Butch approached me and tore me away from my thoughts. I must've looked like shit, because Butch immediately frowned as asked, "Are you okay?"

I shook my head, not trusting words to come out.

"What is that?" Butch took the paper from my fists. As he scanned the document, I could see the color drain from my face. "They took Buttercup," he murmured. Immediately, his eyes darkened.

"Yeah- Wait, what the hell?" I looked at him quizzically. "They took Blossom."

He flashed me a confused look, "No, right here- it says _Buttercup_," he pointed to her name on the note. Huh, how'd I miss that?

"But Blossom was out here just a second ago," I replied, scanning the area for some other sign of her.

"Buttercup's the one that's missing," Butch stated, balling his fists.

"I'm missing what?" a familiar voice laughed as she walked to our side. It took me a moment to recognize her in that pink dress, but it was Buttercup.

"Buttercup!" Butch exclaimed. "You're alive!" he cried, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her into an embrace.

Peeling herself from his grasp, she said with an uneasy smile, "Why wouldn't I be? ...Anyways, we need to go back-" she stopped when she made eye contact with me. "Brick, what the hell? You look a five year old who just learned that the Easter Bunny doesn't exist."

My jaw tightened as Butch handed the note to Buttercup. She too read it and in an instant, her eyes were wide in fury.

"No frickin' way," she growled. She looked back up at us, "We've got to save her."

"I know. Whoever took her is going to _pay_," I snarled.

"You guys, what's the hold up?" Boomer poked his head out of the window.

"Don't worry about it," I shook my head. I looked at him, then at Butch and Buttercup, "You guys stay here for the wedding. I'll take care of this."

"I don't think so. If Blossom's been kidnapped, I'm personally kicking someone's-" Buttercup was interrupted.

"Blossom's been kidnapped?" Boomer exclaimed.

"BLOSSOM'S BEEN KIDNAPPED?"

I looked around to hear the source of that shriek and saw Bubbles standing inside, her hands over her mouth.

"Bubbles!" Boomer was surprised she was there. Then he cringed, "Crap, it's bad luck to see you before the wedding."

Bubbles ignored him and stared back at us. "Where's Blossom?" she whispered, trying to keep her voice even. It was obvious that she was shaking.

"We don't know," I replied.

"I'm not getting married without her," Bubbles said adamantly. We all started to say something, trying to change her mind, but she stopped us, "And that's final. I wouldn't be here with Boomer unless Blossom helped us back together. And I want my niece and nephew with me."

"Yeah," Boomer agreed, "I think Bubbles is right." She flashed him a smile. "S-Should we call the police?" he asked hesitantly.

"No!" Buttercup and Butch yelled in response.

"I mean, um," Buttercup coughed, "Let's not. I think I know who's behind all of this," she said darkly.

"Good," I muttered. I don't know who took her, but I did know that they weren't getting off easy.

They're gonna wish they never messed with the love of my life.

...

**So I'm working on the next part of this and some reviews will most definitely make the process go faster! (:**

**Tee hee, please leave me your thoughts! :D**


	10. The Eighth Month, Part 2

**Disclaimer: **Not minee. **  
**

**Author's Note: **Wow, Greenie! Almost 9,000 words in two days? Dang girl, you're on a roll! :D

Thanks all my lovely readers and reviewers! I'm so glad you're enjoying this. It warms my heart :3

Just to clarify something real quick about the last chappie... In my AU, Ace is the only person whose has seen Buttercup and Blossom (actually, if you remember _way _back in the beginning, Arturo was Blossom's patient, so he knows her too). Anyways, when all he tells his guys is get the 'girl in the green dress', they go after... the girl in the green dress! Tee hee.

There's some POV flipping between Brick and Blossom, but only because I thought it was important I write about both their sides. This is probably one of the funnier chapters and even though there's some serious drama, I tried to interject some humor in between. ...I probably failed, but I just wanted to point that out xP

I kinda think my summary's bland... If you've got a better one, please lemme know! And happy April Fool's Day! ...But don't expect a clever prank outta me!

Read, review and enjoy!

**My Blossom/Brick Picks: **Go read these stories and spam the authors' inboxes with nice reviews! ...Please? (:

1.** Angel** by **Tweek Tweekers** inspired me to write this. Much like my own fic, Angel is about Blossom getting drunk, having a one night stand and ending up pregnant with Brick's baby. Although this story goes in a different direction, there's still lots of drama (so much that the ruffs and puffs end up in therapy!) and it's still a fun fic that I enjoyed reading!

2. **Paranoia** by **Polska** is brilliant. It's so intricately written and this fic is definitely one of the best written PPG fics I've read. Basically, Brick's married to Buttercup, but he's having an affair with the woman he really loves, Blossom. It really stands out because instead of the puffs being perfect, infallible people, they all have these flaws that really makes the fic interesting.

3. **Red Cantarella** by **Deep Sea Neko** is a great fic. It's set in an AU where Blossom's parents have arranged her marriage to mean ol' Dexter. But she falls for Brick, the lord of thieves, who loves her too. This story's about adventure and romance and it's very fairytale-esque. Well-written and definitely a fun read. The Brick/Blossom is too fluffy to pass up!

Ontoooooo the fic! :D

...

_(Blossom's POV)_

"How long do you think it'll be?" I asked the tailor, trying not to be impatient. While one hand held the phone to my ear, the other was resting gently on my protruding belly.

"_We could be done in a few hours, maybe_," she replied.

Ugh, the wedding started in almost fifteen minutes. There was no way the dresses would make it on time. "Okay, well thanks, anyway," I sighed. There probably was no point in them working on the gowns anymore, so I thought I'd at least save her the trouble. I was about to tell her to forget about it, but suddenly, the call got cut off.

...What the heck? Shaking my head, I pull my phone from my ear to look at the screen. There wasn't a message or anything, so I was hoping she didn't hang up on me. I was about to dial the number when I saw a reflection on the glass screen. I was standing with my back to the church, right in front of a window. Behind the window pane, I could Brick gazing at the back of my head from the reflection my phone provided. I couldn't help but blush at the tenderness in his eyes as he looked almost forlornly at me.

I wonder what that meant? Did he still have feelings for me? ...That was silly. I was... I was just imagining it...

I shook away my thoughts and dialed the tailor's number again. As the other line rang, I heard some footsteps behind me. Part of me was hoping that it was Brick. Curious as to who it actually was, I spun around.

It was most definitely _not _Brick. Standing in front of me were two almost greenish-complexioned men. One was enormous with a head full of unkempt red hair, the other was skinnier and almost reminded me of a snake.

"C-Can I help you?" I put my phone to my collarbone so I could talk to them.

"Yessss, yessss you can, Buttercup," the serpentine one took a closer step towards.

"I'm not..." I started, but stopped as he reached for me. My eyes widened and I elbowed him hard enough to knock him down. The larger one started to come after me and with no other option, I began to run. ...It was more of a waddle. And it didn't get me far. The big guy grabbed my updo and with it, my ear. Okay, ouch. That hurt. We had probably allotted enough time for the smaller one to get up and join in. I tried to struggle from his hold, but I felt a warm cloth smothering my nose and mouth.

I desperately looked into the lobby through the window to see it was empty. Brick had disappeared. That was the last thing I saw before the world turned blurry and faded to black.

...

My eyes struggled to open as my head pounded. I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen and my eyes shot open. The babies! ...What had happened? I tried to reach out to feel for their gentle rhythm, but I couldn't. My hands were securely tied behind my back. I tried to move my wrists, but all I got was the abrasive sensation of rough rope rubbing against my sensitive skin.

In addition to being tied to the chair I was sitting in, there was a piece of a cloth wrapped around my mouth so my voice was muffled. Bound and gagged. Real classy, whoever kidnapped me. I tried to think back and suddenly, my thoughts came back to me.

The tailor... Outside on the phone... Brick... Those two greenish men...

They must've knocked me out and brought me to their hideout. Wow, and I only thought this kinda stuff happened in movies. I narrowed my eyes, trying to focus on my surroundings. It looked like an abandoned warehouse. ...That's original. I couldn't see much else because there wasn't any light, but I feel the dank air against me and smell some foul odor circulating through the atmosphere.

I wonder why took me. I mused, I haven't made too many people mad lately, have I? Then I remembered something... They called me Buttercup. Why? They weren't trying to attack her, were they?

"Well, well," I heard someone step towards me. That voice sounded familiar... Where had I heard it before? Then he stepped into the light. My eyes narrowed.

"Ace," I spat.

He looked at me incredulously. Ripping off his sunglasses, he asked, "Blossom? What the hell?" he turned around, probably trying to find his men.

"Duh, it's duh girl you wanted," the large man who attacked me approached Ace.

"Buttercup. You sssaid ssshe wassss in the green dressss," the serpentine man added.

Ace glowered, "Billy, Snake. You _idiots_ got her sister!"

"Hey, it's Dr. Utonium!" another familiar voice exclaimed. I turned in that direction to see a tiny man.

"Arturo?" I raised an eyebrow. He used to be a patient of mine. I took out his appendix and I think he might've sued me for a nosocomial infection. My head was reeling, so I wasn't completely sure if I remembered him correctly.

"No hard feelings, right?" he shrugged. "I didn't want to sue you, but that lawyer was pretty insistent."

"I'm tied to a chair and gagged. You tried to kidnap my sister. And you don't want any hard feelings?" I exclaimed. But with the gag, it sounded more like "Mmm gmmm mm mm mmm! Grrmm mmm!"

"Good," Arturo grinned. ...I don't think he understood me.

"Idiots," Ace rubbed his temples. He looked up at me, "Well, I can't let you go now," he eyed me, "Hope you're comfortable," he shrugged.

"GMMM!" I exclaimed.

"I she's uh, duh, trying to say something," Billy commented. I nodded my head vigorously. Ace sighed. He waved his hand at Billy and Billy walked over to me and untied the gag.

"T-Thank you," I started. Wow, my throat was really dry. I looked at Ace, "I need to use the bathroom."

"...No," Ace responded.

I glared, "I'm eight months pregnant. I've got two fetuses pressing up against my bladder that's currently the size of a quarter. Let me go or you can have fun cleaning up your floor," I said impatiently.

Ace rolled his eyes, "Fine. Whatever," he looked around, "Arturo, make sure she doesn't try anything funny."

"Got it, boss!" he nodded as he walked towards me and untied my hands from the chair. My hands were still bound together, but I was now able to move freely. He led me to the washroom. "You got two minutes. I'll have to come in after that. And I wouldn't try anything funny, Dr. U," he warned.

"Alright," I replied as I stepped into the bathroom. God, it was filthy. There were rodents running around, cobwebs all over the walls and there was some sort of greenish fluid all over the floor. Gross.

I walked into a stall and used my foot to put the toilet seat cover down. When they attacked me, I didn't have anywhere to put my phone, so I stuck it down my bra. Thankfully, it wasn't too big and my large breasts covered it up nicely. I hoped my phone still had some battery... My hands were tied behind my back, so I had to bend over and let my phone fall onto the top of the toilet. I couldn't call anyone because Ace and them would hear it, but maybe I could send a text. Sliding my foot from out of my green pump, I used my big toe to carefully compose a new text. I started to type in a number and Brick's came up. I clicked on his name. I quickly typed up a message, hoping that he realized I had disappeared by now.

I wasn't sure if the message turned out to be coherent, but maybe he'd be able to trace the signal. I heard a series of knocks on the bathroom door and knew I had to wrap it up. I hit the green button to send it, then picked up the phone with my foot. I silently thanked my father for putting me in dance because there's no way I would've been able to put my phone back into my bra without my dancer's flexibility. I slipped my foot back into my shoe and waddled out.

I hated sounding like a damsel in distress, but I really hoped Brick would save me.

...

_(Brick's POV)_

"Hey, don't worry," Boomer put a hand on his fiancee's shoulder. "We're going to find her. And as soon as we do, we're getting married. Okay?" Bubbles gave him a small smile.

"Wait, what about the wedding?" I asked.

"What about it?" Bubbles tilted her head to the side.

"You've got a couple hundred people waiting in that chapel and you two aren't anywhere to be found," I clarified.

Bubbles bit her lip, "I know." After a pause, she added, "I'll figure something out..."

...

_(Omniscient POV)_

"Uh oh," Professor John Utonium took a seat beside his wife, Sandra.

"What happened?" Sandra whispered. "And where is everyone? The wedding's starting at two'o'clock sharp!"

"I'm not sure," John replied. "Bubbles just called me and told me she'll be a little late."

"The bride's going to be late?" Moe Jojo, who was sitting in the pew in front of them asked, turning around. He was about to continue, but John cut him off.

"She said that they needed to do something," he scratched his head. "She wanted me to stall the crowd."

Sara Bellum, who was seated beside her boyfriend, Moe, turned around as well, "Did she say when she'd be back?"

John shook his head, "No."

"Well, there is only one thing we can do," Moe started. John met his gaze and gave him a firm nod.

_Later..._

"...This is not what I meant," Moe deadpanned.

"Okay, I got another one!" John Utonium exclaimed, raising his hands. He was standing right in front of the altar, entertaining the guests until Bubbles, Boomer and the rest came back. "A neutron walked into a bar and ordered a drink. When he asked the bartender how much, guess what he said?"

Moe looked at John and forcing enthusiasm, asked, "What'd he say?"

"For you, no charge!" John slapped his knee and chuckled. The rest of the chapel was silent enough that you could hear crickets chirp. "Okaaay... Do you have one, Moe?" John looked at him.

"No."

"That's alright, because I've got plenty more!" John exclaimed, "Two atoms were walking down the street when one suddenly stops. The other asked what happened the first one replied by saying he lost an election. The second got worried and asked, 'Are you sure?'. To which the first one responded by saying, 'Yeah, man. I'm _positive_!"

"Ha ha," Moe forced a laugh.

"I know, that one gets me every time!" John wiped a tear from his eye.

"I think you're scaring away the guests," Moe stated. "...Bubbles and Boomer better get back here soon," he muttered.

...

_(Brick's POV)_

"I can't believe he would even try to pull that!" Buttercup ranted. "I mean, not only is he a stalker and a creep and a criminal and a blackmailer... Ugh, I'm surprised he could stoop that low," she spat.

"_Who_? You still haven't told us who you're talking about!" Bubbles exclaimed, frustrated.

Buttercup stopped pacing back and forth. "Oh... Sorry," she cleared her throat, "This has got Ace all over it."

"Ace... From the Gangrene Gang?" I questioned. I wasn't too familiar with the guy, but I had heard of him and his gang a while back.

Buttercup whipped around, "How do you know about him?"

Butch's jaw tightened, "We just do, okay?" he answered for me.

"Better question is, how do _you_ know about them?" Boomer looked at Buttercup and Bubbles. "They roll with a pretty tough crowd."

"Oh please, pretty boy," Buttercup scoffed, "I could take Ace any day."

"They went out for like two years," Bubbles piped in. Buttercup glared. Bubbles shrugged, "I figured it would come up sooner or later."

I glanced at Butch to see how he was taking the news. He frowned at the mention of Buttercup and Ace dating, but it elicited no other response. He probably knew about it before.

"So that's why he wanted to kidnap you?" Boomer asked Buttercup.

She sighed, "It's... complicated, okay?"

"We're smart people. We can figure it out," I crossed my arms. I didn't want to keep wasting time like this. I needed to get to the bottom of this, find Ace, kick his ass and save my Blossom. ...I mean, Blossom. She's not _my _Blossom. I didn't- Okay, whatever. I deepened my glare at Buttercup, waiting for her to respond.

"Look, did you guys get involved with the wrong crowd when you were younger?" she asked. There was a hint of something in her words... Was it desperation? What she was desperate for?

"Yeah, but who didn't?" Boomer shrugged.

"Like how bad of a crowd?" Bubbles asked.

"_Really _bad," I answered. "Now stop beating around the bush and tell us why Ace wanted you."

Buttercup scowled, "Don't tell me what to do!"

I narrowed my eyes, "Maybe I wouldn't have to if you knew how to answer a question," I replied acerbically.

"That's it," she growled and and lifted up her fist to punch me. I wasn't afraid; all I had to was step to the side to dodge it. But before she could hit me, Bubbles held her back.

"What are you doing?" Bubbles cried. "Aren't we all on the same side here?"

Buttercup glared. I gave her a hard glare back. "Yeah, yeah," she mumbled.

"Okay, here's what I think's going on," Butch started.

"Oh god, you're thinking now," I bit back sarcastically.

Butch frowned, "Why are you being such a bitch?"

"Why haven't we done anything?" I replied with a question. My eyes gleamed with ferocity, "We don't know where Blossom is! She could be in danger. Our kids could be in danger! And we're not doing anything!" I yelled, frustrated.

"Why do you even care?" Bubbles asked pointedly, her voice dangerously low.

"Because I love her!" I blurted out. Butch, Buttercup, Boomer and Bubbles just looked at me in silence. I swallowed. I had never verbalized my feelings for her... To be honest, it felt kinda good. But that moment was over as soon as it came because I heard my phone buzz. I was tempted to ignore it, but I'm glad I didn't.

**Blossom (received at 2:31 PM)**

**hElpp ne brik i ned u**

It was Blossom... She... She texted me.

I read it again. Normally, she was a stickler for proper grammar, so I was surprised by her complete disregard for the rules of mechanics. That meant she had to be in trouble. She might've risked everything to send me that text. _Help me, Brick I need you_... I could hear her say that, the pain in her voice too real for my own speculation.

"That was Blossom," I murmured. Buttercup and Bubbles' eyes widened.

"Is she okay?" Bubbles asked softly.

"For now, I think," I answered hesitantly. "I think I can trace this message."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Buttercup asked, rubbing her fist in her hand menacingly. "Let's find my sister and kick some green ass," she grinned.

...

_(Blossom's POV)_

"Since you kidnapped me and are holding me here against my will, the least you could do is talk to me," I said.

"Maybe I could just put your gag on again?" Ace replied, obviously not in the mood for conversation.

I shrugged, "Your loss." I started to hum, letting my mind wander. I began to wonder why he wanted Buttercup in the first place. Then I remembered how she mentioned that he was blackmailing her... Were those two things connected? I had to find out... "What were you blackmailing Buttercup with?" I asked, completely serious.

At this, Ace grinned, "I bet you'd wanna know, wouldn't you?"

I nodded slowly.

"Well, not like I got anything better to do," he shrugged. He pulled a VHS tape (they still made those?) out of his gaudy jacket and grabbed something that was shrouded in the shadows. As he pulled it into the light, I could see it was a cart with a TV on it. From looks of it, I wouldn't doubt that he stole it from the library. If the situation wasn't weird enough already, I'd be wondering why he even had a TV set in this place anyway. He popped the tape into the VHS player and static came on. It subsided after a moment and the tape began to play. It was in black and white; the quality was pretty fuzzy. I could tell it was night and there were two men who looked like they were in a jewelry store.

_"You take care of the security cameras, Blue?" a man asked._

_"Yeah, got them all, Red," 'Blue' replied._

_"Good," Red nodded. "Let's get this diamond and get outta here. Stay on lookout."_

_Blue nodded and a third man came into view. _

_"You pansies done yet?" he asked casually._

_"Shut up, Green," Red hissed. "I need to concentrate," he muttered as he sprayed the showcase with something. After the spray subsided, the security lasers surrounding it appeared. Red pulled out a laser and suction cup and carefully avoiding the security measures, fastened the suction cup to the glass at the top of the showcase and used the laser to cut a hole around it. He pulled the glass up and reached inside to grab the luminescent diamond. _

_"What are you doing, Green?" Blue exclaimed. Red looked back at them and scowled. _

_"Why'd you take your mask of, you idiot?" he growled._

_"It doesn't matter," he shrugged, "You got the diamond and let's get out of here. Butchie Boy's gotta a hot date tonight," he grinned._

_"Whatever. Let's get this back to the boss and get the hell out of this place," Red ordered as the three silently made their way out._

Ace paused the tape. "They've been looking for this diamond since it was stolen ten years ago. They never found out who did it. Until tomorrow," he grinned.

My eyes widened. Although Butch was the only one who revealed his identity, I recognized that Blue and Red were Boomer and Brick from their eyes and voices. They couldn't go to jail. ...Or worse. I needed this tape.

"Where'd you get the evidence?" I asked curiously. I didn't want to seem desperate because then he'd realize my ulterior motives.

"Some guy gave it to me at a garage sale," he shrugged.

"And you never turned it into the police...?" I inquired.

"I was waiting until I found someone who'd pay me for the evidence. Why would I waste this?" Ace chuckled, "And lucky me, turns out little Butters is dating the guy. I thought I'd have a little fun with her."

"So that's your only copy?" I questioned.

"Yup. It's worth quite the pretty penny," he grinned. ...He was carrying the only copy of his blackmail around in his stupid jacket? That's... stupid. I'm not complaining, though; makes my job easier.

"Who are the other two guys?" I asked innocently.

"Not real sure," Ace bit down on his toothpick, "But I'm thinking they might be friends of Butters' boyfriend. If he has any friends," Ace snickered.

I nodded, deciding I had enough information. My wrists were killing me, but I could feel the gentle kicks of my babies. I was alright as long as they were.

Now... How do I get my hands on that tape?

...

_(Brick's POV)_

"Okay, we're making progress... Right?" Butch asked.

We had all piled into Boomer's Mustang, ready to find Blossom. Boomer was driving, I was sitting up front next to him, and Butch, Bubbles and Buttercup crammed into the back. I hadn't cracked the exact address yet, but I knew that she was in downtown Townsville.

"I hope so," Bubbles said nervously.

I was tuning myself out of their conversation, only wanting to spend my energy on locating her. I had run her message through various applications, including a specialized satellite locator. It looked promising; only a few more minutes until the results finally loaded. I was crossing my fingers.

"Hey, Boomie," Bubbles started, her voice barely a murmur, "When you guys said you hung out with bad people... Did that mean you were in a gang?"

I lurched forward as Boomer slammed the brakes. I wasn't sure if he did it because of the question asked or if he just_ really _wanted to stop for that yellow light.

"No, of course not," Boomer replied quickly.

"You sure?" Buttercup rose an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Butch responded, "Brick didn't want us getting into that kind of stuff. Hell, he even took the fall when we-" Butch stopped himself after I turned around to give him a hard warning stare.

"When you what?" Buttercup leaned forward, studying me carefully.

"You don't have to know everything about us," I defended. "We don't know everything about you."

"We've never done anything _illegal_," Bubbles stated. Damn, well I guess she had us there.

Boomer gave me a quick glance before returning his eyes to the road and Butch stared at me nervously.

I sighed, "Look it's not a big deal. We did a couple of jobs. Steal some crap, sell it to someone for more than it's worth. It was... exhilarating," I admitted. "And then we got a wake-up call. Long story short, I got charged with grand theft auto. I would've been locked up for a while if it wasn't for my lawyer."

"Is that why you're a lawyer now?" Bubbles asked me, her eyes wide.

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess it is," I conceded.

"We all should've gotten in trouble, but Brick took the blame for everything," Butch stated.

I did it because I didn't want them losing their lives to jail. I might not show it, but I really do care about my brothers. While it's easier to be selfish, Butch and Boomer were really the only people I had. Dad wasn't ever around when we were growing up and while he's making up for that now, ultimately, he let work take precedence over his family. I swore I wouldn't do that when I grew older. I think maybe that's why I need to win Blossom back so badly. It's not just because I love her, but it's because I love my kids too.

"That's pretty cool, Brick," Buttercup smiled.

"Yeah-" my response was cut short by my phone beeping. Frantically, I looked down at the screen to see an address pop up. This was it. I grinned, "Found her."

...

"I say we barge in there and give them an good ol' fashioned butt whooping," Buttercup popped her knuckles. Butch nodded in agreement.

"I don't think blind force is the best option," I replied thoughtfully as I examined the warehouse I had tracked Blossom's location to. I studied the building carefully, counting the number of entrances and how we could use them to our advantage. We were currently up on a hill that overlooked the warehouse.

"Should we split up?" Boomer suggested.

"No, there's strength in numbers," I responded, still trying to devise a genius plot. After a moment, I said, "I think element of surprise's the best way to go. Let's sneak in there, get a look at what we're up against and _then _we can beat their sorry green asses," I gave a sardonic look to Buttercup and Butch. They looked satisfied. I nodded at Bubbles and Boomer and the five of us slowly and carefully made out way down to the back of the warehouse.

We were about to step in, but I noticed a lock on the door handle. Damn it, I didn't plan for that.

"Step aside," Bubbles walked up to the door. "I got this," she pulled a pin out from her hair bun and inserted it into the lock. After a few moments of fumbling, we heard a click and the lock fell off. She grinned. Quietly, she cracked the door open and we all slided in, making sure to close the door after us without a sound.

We had entered on the second level and there wasn't much light, but I could see something on the floor below us. A TV was giving off enough light for me to make out a man standing in front of a woman tied to a chair. I strained my eyes to get a closer look at the woman- I could see the faint outline of her profile. But perhaps the most significant thing about her was her protruding abdomen. She looked like she was almost eight months pregnant.

It was her. It was really her. We had found Blossom and she was alive. I couldn't help but smile. Maybe I would get to tell her how I felt after all.

"Hey, Romeo, get over here!" Buttercup hissed. Stealing a final look at Blossom, I joined the group against the wall. We silently and swiftly made our way to the point directly above Blossom and her captor.

"On three," I whispered.

"One..." Buttercup and Bubbles started.

"Two..." Butch and Boomer joined in.

"Three!" I yelled. At that moment, I ran to the railing and jumped off, landing on my feet. Boomer, Butch and Buttercup did the same. Bubbles hesitated for a moment, but then hopped off to land in Boomer's arms. He put her down gently.

"What the hell?" the man exclaimed, ripping off his sunglasses to take a better look at us. He whistled and a team of greenish men assembled behind him.

Blossom's head snapped back and she grinned seeing us, "Brick," she murmured, her eyes big in surprise, "You came."

"What are you morons doing just standing there?" the leader cried, "Get them!"

"Ace, you're gonna wish you were never born," Buttercup snarled. She ripped off the bottom of her dress so that it only went to her mid-thigh. With her now increased mobility, she ran straight towards the men and punched Ace. Butch joined in, getting a running start to attack the snake-looking man. Boomer took on the large, tubby one. And I ran straight towards Blossom.

"Brick," she whispered. I tell her throat must've been sore from the hoarseness of her voice.

"Shh," I murmured as I undid the knots binding her hands to the back of the chair. I unlooped the final loop and her hands dangled free. I helped her up and the first thing she did was put her hands on our children. She let out a content smile. "I got your text," I told her, my arm around her waist, helping her stand up. I bit my lip, "Blossom, I was so worried..."

"I missed you too, Brick," she stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around me, engulfing me in a warm hug.

...

_(Blossom's POV)_

I almost melted in Brick's arms when he returned my hug. I knew that he'd come for me. I knew that he still cared... The way he looked at me the moment I turned back to see him will never make me doubt him again. The tenderness, worry (and maybe... love?) in his eyes made me sure that I loved him.

But our moment was cut short as I saw Grubber sneak behind Brick.

"Brick, watch-"

Before I finish my warning, Grubber was unconscious on the floor and Brick was popping his knuckles. Well, that was one man down.

"Ace, I fricking _hate _you!" Buttercup yelled. I turned around to see her pounding him into the cement floor. "Don't ever try to hurt me or my sisters again!" Some teeth went flying in the air and with a final punch, she knocked him out. Two down, three to go.

"Dude, you're a freak," Butch scoffed as he stepped over Snake's lying form, sending him out. Three...

"You're... Gonna... Pay..." Boomer said in between breaths as he punched Billy repeatedly.

"Duh, that tickles," Billy giggled.

"Um, hi, excuse me?" Bubbles said in the most cloyingly sweet voice as tapped Billy on the shoulder from behind.

"Duh, yeah?" Billy turned around. He smiled, "Duh, pretty girl."

"Thank you," Bubbles giggled. "I was just wondering if..." Bubbles started, fidgeting with her hair and moving her foot in a nervous manner, her other hand clasped behind her back. Suddenly, her eyes turned fierce and she yelled, "HIYAH!" A single blow to the nose had Billy on the floor in no time. "That's for ruining my wedding, you big oaf!" she exclaimed.

"I love you," Boomer murmured. Bubbles flushed.

That four... Where was the last one? Where'd Arturo go?

"Hey, it's Brick!" I heard his Latin accent behind me. I spun around.

"Oh hey, man. What's up?" Brick casually approached him.

"Not much, you kno-"

Before Arturo could respond, Brick had balled him up and tossed him into the pile of other unconscious Gangrene Gang members. That was the last of them.

I was about to say something to Brick and my sisters, but the sudden sound of a siren stopped me. I whipped my head back to police cars parked outside of the complex, a few officers even entering the building. My eyes widened. They must've heard the commotion and come in to check it out.

"We've gotta get out of here," Brick declared.

...

_(Brick's POV)_

I should've grabbed Blossom when I had the chance. We started running and I turned my attention to the others for a split second and when I turned back, Blossom was _gone_. Shit. I immediately stopped on my heels and turned 180 degrees in the other direction.

"What are you doing?" Butch yelled to me.

"Blossom!" I exclaimed. That was enough of an answer because everyone fell silent. I dashed back to the warehouse, my thoughts a flurry. Where was she? What had happened? I can't believe I lost her _again_.

I stopped outside the warehouse to catch my breath, thinking of every possible place she could be. Did one of those green idiots wake up and take her? What if she fainted from over-exhaustion or dehydration? Didn't that kinda stuff happen to pregnant women? Oh god, what about the kids? What if she-

"Brick, what are you still doing here?"

Right then, the most beautiful sound in the world rang in my ears. It was Blossom's voice.

"Blossom!" I cried. Before I could say anything else, my instincts took over and I put my hands on either side of her face, slamming my lips onto hers in a long, passionate kiss.

After a few moments, she let her hands out from my hair and pulled away. "Brick," she murmured. From the benevolent, ardent look in her eyes, I could tell she enjoyed the kiss almost as much as I did.

"Where'd you go?" I finally asked.

She gave a small smile, "A little bit of business I had to take care of before the police checked the place out."

"Don't scare me like that again," I told her, my hands on her shoulders. "I mean it," I heard the desperation and worry poke through my words. I let my hands fall down to her protruding belly. Resting them gingerly on her swell, I felt the gentle movements of our babies. "They're okay," I whispered.

"I know," she beamed back at me.

"Hey, love birds!" Buttercup called to us. "Get over here!"

Wrapping my arm around her waist, we walked back to where our siblings were. I noticed how she quietly huffed with each waddle she took and realized that she must've been exhausted. I stopped, bent down and put my arm under her knees and lifted her up bridal style.

"Let me go!" she couldn't help but giggle as she wrapped her arms tenderly around my neck.

"I don't think so," I grinned back at her, carrying her in arms.

_(Blossom's POV)_

"Aww!" Bubbles cooed as we met up with the others. "Aren't you two precious!"

I couldn't help but notice how they all looked- like a hot mess. I mean, I'm sure I wasn't any better, but... Butch and Boomer's tuxedos were torn at the sleeves and various parts of their pants were smeared with... mud? Buttercup's pink dress was ripped mid-thigh level, her make-up smeared, her hair falling out of it's perfectly formed bun. But Bubbles took the hardest hit. Her pure white dress with blue sparkles had flecks of a dirt and mud and sported a terrible tear up her thigh. The ribbon that tied with the corset under her bust was destroyed as was her veil. She had make up running down her face, probably from crying and her blonde hair was partially up and completely messy.

I felt a sinking feeling. This was all my fault. I _ruined _what was supposed to be the happiest day of Bubbles and Boomer's life. I motioned for Brick to put me down and he did. As I looked at my sisters, I felt hot tears well in my eyes.

"Don't cry, Blossom!" Bubbles exclaimed as she wrapped me in a hug. Buttercup joined in too.

"I'm sorry," I sniffled.

"Don't be," Buttercup patted me on the back.

"I completely destroyed your day, Bubbles," my lip quivered. "I am _so _sorry." I was full-out sobbing now.

"What?" Bubbles looked at me quizzically. "No, you didn't!" she shook her head.

"You didn't ask to be kidnapped Blossom," Buttercup added pointedly. "Ace and his stupid gang ruined the wedding. Not you."

"I have to disagree with you, Buttercup," Bubbles started. "I mean, not the part about Blossom. You're sill to think I could blame you, Bloss," she gave me a big smile. She looked around at us, then clasped Boomer's hand, "Today's _not _ruined. I mean, it's not how I planned it... But it's definitely unforgettable. I got to go on this exciting adventure with some of my favorite people. How could you call that a failure? And the day's not over yet... So," she bit her lip and looked at Boomer.

"I love you, Bubs," I beamed as I embraced my littlest sister. Buttercup groaned, but wrapped her arms around us too.

"Group hug!" Bubbles exclaimed and even the guys joined in. All of a sudden, I jumped back.

"What happened?" Brick asked, examining me carefully.

"I totally forget to tell you guys this," I explained, waving my hands for effect. I looked at Butch and Buttercup, "I think you two would be happy to hear this," I added.

"W-What?" Buttercup asked, trying not to smile in anticipation.

I put my fingers down my dress and searched through my cleavage until I found what I was looking for. I grinned as I pulled out a VHS tape. Boomer and Bubbles looked at me like I was crazy, Brick smirked at the clever use of my bra, Butch grinned and Buttercup's eyes started watering.

"Is that..." she swallowed. "Is that what I think it is?" she murmured, a grin creeping onto her lips.

That's why I ran back inside. I had to get a hold of the tape before the police saw it and sent Butch to jail for life. "The only copy of it," I replied, a grin on my lips as well. I popped open the box and pulled out the tape, ripping it into countless tiny pieces.

Buttercup turned to Butch and attacked him with her lips. She pushed him to the ground, ferociously kissing him and Butch was more than happy to return her ardor. I tossed the destroyed VHS in the garbage bin.

"...What just happened here?" Boomer scratched his head.

"Who knows?" Bubbles shrugged. She looked down at Butch and Buttercup, "At least they're happy."

"Hey, you two hooligans ever heard of a room?" a cantankerous old man said with disgust as he was walking by.

"Who are you?" Brick frowned as he studied the man.

"Father Hofacker," he replied with contempt. "Who are you? ...Don't bother answering. I don't care."

"Wait... Did you say father?" I turned towards him.

"Did you say Hofacker?" Brick smirked. I elbowed him.

"Are you a clergyman?" I reiterated myself.

"Yeah, got hearing problems?" he responded after glaring at Brick. "I don't why they call me that considering I've never had children," he grumbled.

"You can marry us!" Bubbles squealed.

He frowned, "Oath of celibacy? Ever heard of it? And even if I could get married, I wouldn't want you two," he said scornfully.

"No, I mean like, get _us _married to _each other_!" Bubbles giggled.

"...Oh. Yeah, I guess I can't say no, can I?" Father Hofacker muttered.

"Isn't the Townsville Park just a few blocks from here?" Boomer asked. Bubbles grinned. "I think that'll be perfect," he whispered, interlacing his fingers with hers.

...

The six of us and Father Hofacker walked over to the park where we then found a secluded spot for the ceremony. There was a strip of land right beside the Townsville River and that's where we decided to have it. The sun was beginning to set, so the sky was a beautiful shade of bluish-orange and the sunlight hit Bubbles and Boomer in the most perfect way possible. Despite all they had been through today, they looked breathtaking.

I made Bubbles a makeshift bouquet with flowers from the park gardens and I surprisingly still had her ring for Boomer. It's fascinating how much my bra can hold.

We lined up, Buttercup and I beside Bubbles; Butch and Brick beside Boomer while Father Hofacker stood in the middle.

"Okay, I've got a place to be at nine, so let's get this over with," he groaned.

"...It's not even seven," Boomer commented.

Father Hofacker raised an eyebrow, "I never said the two things were connected. ...Anyways... We're here today because we have nothing better to do than to see these two losers give up their freedom and unite in-"

"I'm not it goes like that," I interrupted.

"Right," Father Hofacker rolled his eyes, "Because I'm sure your premarital pregnancy's taught you_ all _about the Christian faith."

I glared. Brick raised an eyebrow at me, as if to ask 'Can I beat him up already?'. I shook my head 'No'.

"Blah blah, yada yada blah," Father Hofacker rambled, "Do you..." he looked at Boomer.

"Boomer Jojo," he filled in.

"That's a freakish name," Father Hofacker muttered. I snorted. "Whatever. Do you, Boomer Jojo take..." he looked at Bubbles.

"Bubbles Utonium!" she grinned.

"Bubbles Utonium to be your lawfully wedded wife?" he asked.

"I do," Boomer replied firmly.

"And do you, Bubbles Utonium, take Boomer Jojo to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Father Hofacker droned.

"Of course!" she giggled.

"...Wrong answer," he snorted in derision. "I could care less though. You have the rings?" he looked around.

I nodded and handed the small box to Bubbles. Brick stepped up and pulled out a similar box for Boomer. They exchanged rings.

"So by the power vested in me, blah blah blah... If anyone's got a problem with this whole damn thing, you're stupid for waiting for the last minute. Yada yada, you're married. Boom! Kiss the bride already."

Boomer took Bubbles' hands and whispered to her, "You're beautiful," before giving her a soft, chaste kiss.

I couldn't help but coo at how cute they were! Even tough Buttercup cracked a grin at these two.

"...Can I go now?" Father Hofacker asked, glancing down at his nails.

"Thanks so much!" Bubbles exclaimed as he left.

"Hofacker," Butch snickered. Brick smirked.

Ignoring them, Boomer turned to his new wife, "I bet we could still make it to Hawaii if we hurry!"

"You're taking me to Hawaii?" Bubbles squealed. Boomer grinned.

"Have a blast, Bubs," I gave her a quick hug. We all took turns exchanging words and hugs with the newly married couple before they ran off into the sunset.

"That might've been the best wedding I've ever been to," I murmured to myself. I looked up at Brick with a small smile.

"Well, you two have got some things to work out," Buttercup stated as she linked arms with Butch, "We'll leave you alone."

I waved good-bye to them and as they walked off, I heard Butch say, "I can't help but feel like we're forgetting something..."

I wonder what he meant?

...

_(Omniscient POV)_

"I... got... another... one..." John huffed.

"No... Not another!" Moe cried as he fell onto his knees.

"What did the banana say to the monkey?" John asked, looking around the still occupied pews. "Anyone got an idea?" he asked, his perkiness suddenly reappearing.

"No. God, no!" Moe wailed before falling down, completely unconscious.

"Hmm, close!" John exclaimed. "Actually, the right answer's _Nothing_! Bananas can't talk!" he burst into laughter.

"I wonder if they'll be back soon," Sara mused. "I mean, he's got to run out of jokes sometime..."

"Doubt it," Sandra smiled wryly, "He could go on until after the honeymoon."

...

_(Blossom's POV)_

"So..." I started out, trying to ease the awkward tension Buttercup and Butch left us with. "Interesting day, huh?" I tried to lighten the mood.

"You said it," Brick smirked as he snaked an arm around my waist. We started to walk slowly down the Riverwalk and I couldn't help but smile. The sun was almost at the horizon and the clear sky was pink now. Despite it being a Saturday afternoon, the park seemed empty; as if we were the only two people there. His warmth radiating onto me, this moment was just perfect and I was afraid to ruin in by trying to sort things out with Brick. Biting my lip, I knew it was inevitable. But I had no idea where to start. So I was glad I didn't have to.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I'm sorry for everything, Blossom. I don't know what I was thinking..." He was referring to slutty Susan from two weeks ago. "I wasn't thinking," he admitted. "I was just stressed... I mean, my new job, our kids, my mom..." he trailed. Shutting his eyes, then opening them again, "But it's no excuse." He stopped and turned towards me. Taking my hands into his own, he looked at me earnestly and tenderly, "Blossom, I am so sorry. Can you forgive me?" he whispered.

How could I not? I knew he wasn't a bad guy. I _knew _it. "Yeah, I can," I replied with a gentle smile. I should probably be furious that he's trying to come back to me after he cheated, but after all we've been through today... I couldn't be anything but jubilant. The man I loved genuinely cared about me. Our children would have their father in their life. And maybe... Maybe we could be a family. How could I say no to that?

"Blossom, I..." Brick swallowed. I saw an unfamiliar emotion cross his face. It looked like nervousness... Apprehension... Maybe even fear. What was he about to say? "I know I haven't acted like it lately, but I want you to know..." he held my hands tighter, "Blossom, I love you. And I would do _anything _for you."

I couldn't help the tears forming the corner of my eyes, "Brick, do you really mean that?" I murmured.

"Yeah," he inhaled. More confidently, he repeated, "Yeah. I do."

"I love you too," I whispered, my lips breaking out into a big smile. "I love you too!" I exclaimed. Brick grinned at me.

"Oh, hey," he started, reaching into his pocket, "I think you dropped this," he held out a diamond earring on his palm.

Wait a second... That was _my _diamond earring. How did he find it? I reached up to touch my right ear- there was an earring there. But as I felt my left one, I realized it was bare. "T-Thank you," I stammered, surprised at his random action of kindness. I took the the earring and fastened it in my ear. "Thanks, Brick," I said softer, more firmly.

"God, Blossom, I missed you," he said as he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a kiss.

"I missed you too," I murmured as I returned the kiss.

I really did miss him. And I was so glad I had my Brick back.

...

It's been two weeks since the wedding. Bubbles and Boomer are coming back sometime tomorrow, Butch and Buttercup have been having the time of their lives together and the Gangrene Gang is behind bars where they'll be for a while. Mom and Dad are doing well; I think they had a little too much fun at the wedding. And last I heard, Sara's moving in with Moe.

Me and Brick? We've been good. No, that's a lie. We've been _great_. He's been the sweetest boyfriend-slash-babydaddy I could ask for. He'll send me flowers and visit me in between our busy schedules at the hospital. We work right next to each other, so he always take me downstairs to the cafeteria for a romantic lunch. We've even been to a couple Babies-R-Us stores to start shopping for the kids.

Aside from my ridiculous pregnancy symptoms including my swollen feet and back, I've been happiest I've been in a while. I am so ready to have these children.

"Hey babe," Brick knocked on the door of my office and stepped in, taking me away from my thoughts. He had a paper bag in his hand. He looked at it, disgusted, "I got these for you," he tossed the bag on my desk.

"For me?" I grinned. "Well, I feel special," I giggled, opening the bag. I pulled out a bag of baby carrots and a little jar of marshmallow cream- my latest craving. "You know me so well," I dipped a carrot in the sweet, fluffy dip. Signing off the file I was finishing, I shut it and put it to the side.

"Ready to go?" Brick asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Yup," I replied with a smile on my face. Grabbing my purse, I slung it over my shoulder and carefully stood up. I straightened out my magenta leopard print maternity dress and whitecoat and walked over to my boyfriend. "Thanks for coming with me," I whispered, lacing my fingers with his own.

"No problem," he smirked as we walked out. Waiting for an elevator, he started, "So... What do you guys normally do at these things?"

"Well, Sara will talk to me for a little bit and if I have any questions or concerns, we go through those. If I'm at a milestone and we need to test or something we'll do that next. And finally, she does an ultrasound and I get to see the babies," I explained. Perfect timing too; the elevator dinged right when I finished.

"Sounds cool," Brick couldn't help but grin.

"Are you sure you don't mind seeing her?" I asked softly.

"Nah," Brick shrugged, "I want to be there with you. And... I guess she's not all that bad."

"Great," I murmured, resting my head on his shoulder as we walked out of the elevator and into Sara's office.

This was going to be the best appointment yet.

...

**And thus concludes the exciting eighth month. **

**Okay, for the record- I love corny science jokes, so I just couldn't resist having the Professor tell them. Tee hee. I also like how Father Hofacker came out (Hofacker is a legitimate last name, people!). **

**Anyhoo, if you have a better summary for the story (it's gotta be like less than 250-something characters... Weird), let me know what it is!**

**I hope you liked this chappie. Please, please leave a review! I would be super duper happy if my fic made it to a 150 reviews. Just sayin' :3**


	11. The Ninth Month

**Disclaimer:** Never have, never will.

**Author's Note:** I know, I know. I'm a terrible human being for abandoning this story for two months. I'm so sorry, but I got attacked by real life. I hope you all forgive me and enjoy this super-neat (at least, I like to think so) ending!

Also, I got my 7,500 view on this fic today! Thanks so much, readers! C:

**My Blossom/Brick Pick: **I know nobody really reads this little section, but I just want to mention one particular fic that stands out.

1.** Bridezilla** by **Jupitrie **is literally one of the best fics I've read in a long, long time. Basically, the fic focuses on Blossom's getting married... But not to Brick! It's got some really, really, really good Brick/Blossom-ness and the story itself is well-planned, well-written and absolutely entertaining. It's the perfect mix of romance, drama, action and humor. It's rated M for language, but don't let that stop you from reading this amazing fanfiction!

Anyhoo, enjooooy!

...

_(Blossom's POV)_

I had just put my phone into the pocket of my white-coat and stepped into my office when I heard a 'SURPRISE!' followed by a bunch of cheers and colorful confetti thrown at me. I couldn't help but smiled confusedly when I saw the pastel banners and decorations, pile of presents, elegant cake and my friends and coworkers in silly little party hats. Was this a... baby shower? For me? I grinned, looking around to see who had done all of this when Bubbles and Buttercup ambushed me with a hug.

"Aah," I whimpered, my smile never faltering, as they engulfed me in an embrace.

"Who... Who did this?" I finally choked out after they let go of me.

"Me," a soft voice piped up. "I hope you like it," a petite brunette, who I recognized as my secretary, Isabelle, walked up to me.

"Aww, Isabelle!" I gushed, wrapping my arms around her. "Thanks," I could hear my voice crack as my eyes watered. I sniffled, "I didn't expect any of this..." I whispered, unable to let my grin go. I looked at her, "Thanks," I repeated.

She beamed, "I'm glad you like it, Dr. Utonium," she replied.

I gave her a stern look, "It's Blossom, got it?" I cracked a smile.

"Hey, hey, hey," Bubbles grabbed my arm and dragged me over to the gift table, "Don't you want to start opening your presents?" she asked. "This one, first!" she squealed, shoving a beautifully wrapped blue box towards me. I could tell it was hers.

"Okay, okay," I told Bubbles, trying to calm her down. I was about to open it when I caught sight of the crowd. So many familiar faces- my sisters, Isabelle, Sara, Mom, Robin, my friends, the nurses and staff from the floor. Even Dad, Mojo, Boomer and Butch were here! ...But where was-

"He was hiding from you," Buttercup interrupted my thoughts as she pushed my redheaded boyfriend towards me. I couldn't help but laugh at the red party-hat on his head, offering a stark contrast to his professional attire.

"What are you doing here?" I gave him a playful simper. I knew he hated that question.

"Being held here against my will," he replied flatly. I pouted a little and he must've thought it was adorable because he broke out into a grin.

I was about to reply when I felt a sudden jerk in my abdomen. I placed a calming hand on my swell and then realized how intently everyone in the room was looking at me. I couldn't help but laugh, "They like it," I giggled. I felt a strong arm wrap around my waist and looked up to grin at my boyfriend, who suddenly wasn't unhappy to be here any more.

"Your present, Bloss?" my sister brought me back to reality.

"Oh, yeah," I shook my head and gratefully took the present from her. As I carefully unwrapped the swirly silver and blue paper, I couldn't help but think how lucky I was to surrounded by so many people who cared about me and my babies.

...

After the best baby shower ever, a few friends stayed after and helped me gather my new things. Some of them even brought them down to my car. It was all so unexpected... But I really felt special. That was so sweet of Isabelle.

Brick had stuck with me the whole time, offering a smirk or clever comment that made me grin. I really loved him and I knew he going to be a great father. But as we walked, hand in hand, I felt a little unsure. A little hesitant. But there was something I needed to do and I couldn't put it off any longer.

I finally had built up the courage to ask Brick a question I had wanted to for a while. I should've ask him this a long time ago, but I guess I was just afraid of what he'd say. Physically, our relationship has moved quite fast, but we're taking it slow otherwise. I've been a little afraid to upset the balance we've had, but I need to get over it. For the babies.

"Brick?" I looked towards him, tightening my grip on his arm as we walked to the parking garage.

"Yeah, babe?" he murmured.

"I wanted to ask you a question..." I started, a little hesitantly.

"Okaay..." Brick looked at me quizzically, probably wondering what on earth I was about to ask him.

"Well, the babies are going to be here in less than a month," I stated. "Have you thought about what you're going to do when they come? How much time do you plan on spending with them?"

I could feel him tense beside me. He swallowed.

I didn't let him respond, as I continued verbalizing my thoughts, "I'm not trying to take the kids away from you," I assured him. "In fact, I want to offer you quite the opposite," I sucked in a deep breath of air, "Me, my sisters and even your brother are moving into this house in the suburbs... And I want you to move in with us," I said firmly, then meekly looked up at him.

I could tell he was thinking over the offer, but I didn't want to force him to decide on the spot. ...What if he made the wrong choice?

"Look, take your time. I don't want to rush you-"

"It's okay. I don't need time," he said, resolute.

"Okaaay," I bit my lip as I pressed him, "So?"

"I think I'd love to live with you and the twins," his perfect mouth cracked into a grin and I can't help but kiss him.

We were moving in together and I couldn't wait to become a family!

...

I'm nine months pregnant and it couldn't have been more obvious. My swell is enormous and I haven't been able to fit into anything but ridiculously large maternity clothes. I've gained an inordinate amount of weight and it's taken on a toll on my back (that now, never seems to quit hurting). I've been switching back and forth from being super excited to incredibly fatigued; constipation, heartburn and pelvic pain have been coming and going too. Every day, my babies are growing bigger and bigger. It's almost scary to think of the rate they're developing at. But I'm excited.

It's really starting to sink in that I'll be a mother. Before, it always seemed like an abstract idea that was miles away, but I'm so close now. I think it began to really hit me after the baby shower last week when I got so many clothes, toys and even diapers. Later, I went out to buy all the necessities like diapers, lotion, baby food, carseats, furniture and so, so much more.

Shopping for the kids has really taken my mind of off something that has been plaguing me subconsciously. I never got to meet my mom because she died when we were born... Even though I never knew her, I always missed her and ever since I got pregnant, I've secretly dreaded my own labor. Rationally, it shouldn't bother me, but it does and I hate that I can't explain why.

On another note, I've been seeing Sara almost once a week now that labor's almost here. I really loved getting to know her better during my pregnancy and it tickles me that she's actually my babies' grandma! I know it's been hard to Brick to accept that, but I think he's starting to warm up to her.

My hypothesis was affirmed when I see Brick and Sara talking amicably in her office. I had waddled down here thinking that Brick was still in court (he's been ridiculously busy lately), so it was a pleasant surprise to see him getting along with his mom.

I knocked on the half-open door to alert them of my presence. Sara gave me a warm smile as Brick sent a playful smirk my way. One hand on my belly and the other on my lower back, I ease into the chair beside Brick and across Sara and grin.

"Look who's getting along," I teased, lightly bumping Brick's shoulder with my own.

"Turns out I'm not a terrible she-devil," Sara says lightly, her grin never wavering.

Brick shrugs, "Hey, you're not as bad as I thought you'd be," he replied.

"That means so much to me," her voice suddenly became heavy with emotion. Brick sent her an assuring smile, but I think he wasn't sure what else to say.

So I stepped in, "Have my test results come in?" I asked Sara.

"Yes, your Group B streptococcus screening came back just fine. So no worries about the twins contracting any sort of infection during birth," Sara answered. She looked at me, then at Brick, and then back at me, "You're young, so that's great. There's no additional issues here, but since you'll be having twins, you _are_ considered a high-risk pregnancy," she explained.

I knew that. But I tensed anyway.

"All we have to do an electrical fetal heart monitoring, a nonstress test and a contraction stress test," she rattled off names of common procedures, but added, "I would really be surprised if we found anything abnormal considering how great your pregnancy has gone thus far."

Great? These last months have been crazy. I decided to move from my home of the past six years, I destroyed my sister's wedding, I got kidnapped and held hostage, I fell right into the middle of a huge blackmailing deal and I fell in love with someone who was supposed to be my worst enemy. ...But I guess despite that all, I couldn't complain.

"Shall we?" Sara asked gently.

After a reassuring squeeze from Brick's hand to my own, I nodded and smiled, "Yeah, let's get started."

...

Of course, all my tests came back healthy and normal. Sara told me that I was due in three weeks, but everyone knows babies are almost _never _born when they should be. After the appointment, Brick and I headed back to my apartment where I could gather the last of my things and take them to our new house. Brick hadn't moved his stuff yet, but he was going to soon.

"You don't have _anything _heavier to put in here?" Brick asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

I spun around with a witty remark in mind, but burst into giggles instead. Stupid pregnancy hormones.

"...What?" Brick raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing," I shook my head, my giggles coming to a stop. I looked at the box he was passing to the mover, "Yeah, that can go down to the moving truck," I told the mover with a smile. He gave a little nod and walked off.

Brick popped his knuckles and then crossed his arms, "Anything else I need to help with?"

I took a final look at the now bare apartment and shook my head. Leaving this place was bittersweet, but I knew our new house would be full of as many memories, if not more. "Nope," I answered his question. "Thanks for all your help today, boyfriend," I grinned at him as I rested my free hand (because now, there's _always_ one hand on my tummy) on the side of his face.

"No problem," he smirked, catching my lips in a kiss.

I heard a mover cough, and bashfully pulled away from Brick. I was flushed.

"Um, we're ready to leave," he said awkwardly. "So, as soon as you are..."

Brick looked at me and I flashed him a grin. Gaining confidence and taking a deep breath, I pulled the sunglasses that were on my head on and took one last glance at what used to be my old home.

"Let's get out of here," I announced as I waddled out, hand in hand with Brick.

...

The movers' truck followed behind us as I drove my Prius out of the city. We weren't too far away from downtown Townsville, but the commute each day was certainly going to hike up our gas expenses. I pulled into the friendly looking neighborhood and made a few turns until we arrived at the house I had bought. Still in the car, I couldn't help but admire it.

It was an expansive brick mansion with southern-style white marble columns at the front door. There was one main part of the house with three levels of windows on it and two smaller, adjoining, circular brick turrets. I knew the circular rooms would be better for the nursery; I didn't want either of my babies getting hurt by nasty corners. It was really an elegant house and I loved the garden surrounding it. Right now, vibrantly pink roses were in bloom and it complemented the house lovely.

Brick walls and pink blossoms.

"Well, aren't you clever?" Brick smirked.

I giggled, "I know," I crinkled my nose at him. Stepping out of the car and waddling to the front door, I saw Boomer's Mustang and Butch's motorcycle, along with Buttercup's Audi and Bubble's bright blue Volkswagen bug parked along the side. That means everyone was here. Awesome.

"Where do you want these, miss?" one of the movers asks me, a heavy box in their hands.

"Um... Inside?"

He nodded and went that way.

"I think I could get used to a place like this," Brick said, standing behind me.

"I'm glad you like it," I grinned. "Wanna see the whole thing?" I raised an eyebrow in question and he smirked in reply. Lacing my fingers with his, I led him into the front door which opened to a large, high-ceiling foyer. Currently, it was empty save for a few haphazardly placed boxes and our siblings.

Bubbles and Boomer had returned from their honeymoon in Hawaii about a week ago and they absolutely glowed with postmarital bliss. They almost didn't make it after a terrible misunderstanding, but I'm so happy they were able to patch things up. Buttercup and Butch were together as well and they too radiated happiness with their new relationship. Things had been hard for them to get together before, but I'm so happy my little sister finally has someone like Butch.

"We were wondering when you'd get here!" Bubbles giggled as she walked over to me for a hug. "I _love _this place, Bloss!"

"Me too," Boomer added as he walked up to Brick and me. Looking around, he added, "I'm pretty sure it's gonna take me a while not to get lost here."

"Did you guys pick bedrooms yet?" I asked them.

Boomer and Butch's eyes widened and they dashed up the stairs, pushing and shoving to get a lead on the other. I simpered.

"Dibs on the biggest room," Brick called to them from right beside me. Of course.

"Men," Buttercup shook her head and shared a giggle with Bubbles.

"Hey, Buttercup," Bubbles' eyes widened. "I totally forgot to show you the pictures from our honeymoon!" she exclaimed.

"Ugh, save me," Buttercup groaned, but seeing Bubbles' earnest expression (and her adorable little pout), she gave in. "Okay, okay. Let me see them."

Bubbles grinned as she pulled a sleek camera out of her purse and flipped it on. Angling it so that my brunette sister could see the pictures as well, she began clicking through pictures and explaining, "So that's at the airport... And that one's of the little flower necklaces we got... And that's at baggage claim... And this one's of the terminal... And here's the taxi we took the hotel... And here's the hotel! And this was the registration desk. And this was the cute little pond and fishies in the lobby... And here's the elevator we took to our room. And the hallway... And this was our room, pretty, right? ...And here's the- uh oh, not that one..." Bubbles flushed. "Or that one! Not this one either!"

Buttercup turned away, a faint shade of green in her complexion, "Gross, Bubbles! Who takes pictures of _that_?"

Bubbles shrugged, "I forgot these were on here," she explained, biting her lip.

"I knew this was a bad idea," Buttercup mumbled.

I was about to step in when I heard the doorbell ring. My eyebrows furrowed as I looked at Brick. "Who could that be?"

"You'd know if you opened up the door," he raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging on the corner of his lip.

"What insightful advice," I said dryly as I took a few waddles to the door. I pulled open the handle and hoped to God it wasn't a serial killer (seriously, the first time I can't stand on my tiptoes to look through the peephole, it probably would be). Thankfully, I was greeted by quite the opposite.

"Dad!" I exclaimed, surprised to see him. He had something in his hands and a large grin on his face. "Come in," I ushered him inside.

"Wow, this house is amazing girls," he complimented as he stepped inside. Bubbles and Buttercup grinned at him.

"To what do we owe this pleasure?" Brick went in to shake Dad's hand but got handed the object instead. After a moment, "It's... warm," Brick commented.

"It should be!" Dad chuckled heartily. "Consider it a little housewarming gift. My special broccoli casserole," he explained.

"Great. You have any marshmallow cream to go with it?" Brick smirked, looking at me.

I simpered, "Yeah, yeah, make fun of the crazy pregnant lady who's been craving every vegetable known to man with a side of marshmallows," I rolled my eyes.

"No one's making fun of you, dear," Dad reassured me. I sent him a warm smile.

"I'll take care of this," Brick started as he turned towards the adjoining kitchen.

"Wait!" I exclaimed. He stopped and gave me a questioning look. "I'll do it," I added, with a small smile.

He looked at my belly and probably contemplated if I could make the waddle over there before asking, "You sure?"

I nodded and took the warm package from him as Dad followed me into the kitchen. I placed the casserole on the marble counter and was about to put it where it needed to go when I felt a comforting hand on my shoulder. I spun around to see Dad.

"Dad," I whispered. I was alone with the only person aware of my growing uneasiness. I hadn't even told Brick about it because I didn't want him to worry.

"Blossom, it's going to be okay," he allayed my fears with a warm hug. "I know you're scared, but I've talked to Sara. You're going to be just fine. Your mom's situation was a little different... Nothing's going to happen to you. Not to you," he told me confidently. "We'll all be there and you are going to be _just fine_," he emphasized those last two words.

My eyes watered as my voice cracked saying, "I hope so, Daddy."

...

Two weeks since we moved into the new house, three since my lovely baby shower and things have been going great! Most people would've already taken maternity leave, with a week left until labor, but I decided that staying in a half-furnished home would be too boring for me. I've been working at the hospital and even though I haven't done any surgeries lately, I've still been seeing my patients.

I've spent the last two weeks preparing immaculately for the babies' arrivals. The nursery is in perfect condition, we've got carseats in both mine and Brick's cars, the house has been babyproofed and I've been seeing Sara regularly for updates. I'm not due for a week, which is great. Though I'm excited and more than ready to have these babies, there's still so much I have on my plate. And Dad really helped that day because Mom's been one of the furthest things from my mind.

I really want to go see Brick, but he's in court right now, so he won't be off for a few hours. His case started a few minutes ago, he texted me. Sighing, I signed the last of the papers on my desk and shoved them back into their file. Exiting my office, I felt a contraction, but ignored it since I've been having a lot of them lately. I don't need to worry until they're about ten minutes apart, but that'll be in a week, so I'm fine. I placed the files in my hand on Isabelle's desk and she flashed me a warm smile.

Returning it, I asked, "What else do I have today?"

"Well," she started, opening up my agenda, "You've got..."

Her words started to drown as I felt a tightening in my lower abdomen. It was another contraction... Holy crap. I felt an unusual wetness between my legs and I paled.

"My water just broke," I whispered.

Isabelle grinned, "Congrats!" she clapped. I gripped onto her desk for support as she dialed a number immediately. "Hello, Maternity? We've got someone for you!"

...

On the maternity wing, I was placed in a room and changed into a gown. I could feel my contractions gradually increasing in pace and pain, but I steadied my breathing. My phone went off and I was tempted to ignore it, but it was beside me on the nightstand and wouldn't stop ringing. Groaning, I pulled it to my ear and clicked the green button.

"YES?" I yelled, unable to control my voice as another contraction came on.

"_Geez, Bloss, it's just me_," I heard Bubbles giggle from the other line.

"Bubbles!" I exclaimed. "Get _everyone_. I'm at the hospital and I'm going to have these babies."

"_OMIIIIIIGOSSSH!_" Bubbles shrieked with excitement, forcing me to pull the phone away from my ear. I heard her clear her throat and composing herself, she added, "_You got it, Bloss! We'll be there in a jiffy! I can't wait!_" she hastily hung up.

I steadied my breathing once again until I realized that Brick was still in court. At the rate of my contractions, these babies would be out in an hour. Normally, the first stage of labor can last up to 20 hours, but I guess I'm not normal. My contractions shouldn't be this close together yet. I swallowed.

"Hello, Dr. Utonium," a blonde nurse walked into my room, scrutinizing my file. She was in black scrubs with electric blue outlining and looked a little like Bubbles with her piercing blue eyes. Looking up, she said, "I'm Nurse Brat. How are you doing so far?"

Gripping my bedrails, I grunt, "Not well. They're coming. Soon."

"While it may feel that way-"

"No," I reiterated, more forcefully this time. "They're almost here."

"She's right," a familiar voice agreed with me. I looked up to see Sara clad in bright red scrubs, her voluminous red hair in a high ponytail. She faced Nurse Brat, "Her contractions are dangerously close. We've got to get her into the labor wing."

_Dangerously close?_

The nurse nodded and stepped out, but soon returned with a brunette nurse at her side. The brunette was in identical scrubs, save her outlining was in neon green as opposed to blue. They each grabbed an end of my rolling bed, unlocked the wheels and pushed me to the labor theater. I was in too much pain to see that her nametag read Brute or notice her uncanny resemblance to my own brunette sister, Buttercup.

I could feel myself coming to a stop and I could hear the wheels lock below me. I shut my eyes and tried to drown out the pain, while keeping my breathing to a steady pace. I wasn't keeping track of time, so I wasn't sure how long it had been until I felt a familiar jolt.

"Blossom!" I opened my eyes to see my little sisters hovering over me.

"Bubbles... Buttercup..." I looked at them. I was feeling inordinately weak and fatigued... I knew something wasn't right, but I tried to push those kinds of thoughts away.

"Boomer and Butch are here. Moe's here too. Mom and Dad are on their way. So are Mitch and Robin," Bubbles began prattling off names of people, but I didn't hear her say anything about Brick. I looked around and there was no sign of my boyfriend.

"Where's Brick?" I asked hoarsely.

Buttercup bit her lip, "We've tried calling him... He hasn't picked up. He's probably still in court," she tried to offer me an explanation.

I growled. No way was I going through this by myself, "Hand me my phone," I narrowed my eyes. Bubbles did so immediately. I punched in Brick's number and put the handheld to my ear. It rang. And it rang again. And again. And again. My heart dropped when I realized that he probably wasn't going to pick up. My lip quivered. I needed him to be here. I _needed _him.

"_Hello?_" a harsh whisper came from the other line.

"Brick!" I exclaimed, my heart soaring.

"_Blossom, I'm in the middle of a case right now. I've gotten 42 missed calls from your sisters and I-_"

My fury flared. Maybe if he had picked up those calls he'd be here right now! "Brick Jojo, I'm in labor and you better get your ass over here!"

"_...W-What?_" Brick stuttered.

"You heard me. You. Hospital. NOW." I hung up before I could hear his response. Bubbles and Buttercup gave me reassuring grins. I took in a deep breath, but it was hard. I could feel a weird tingling in my extremities... I knew that wasn't normal for labor. People experience that kinda thing when they don't have enough blood, but I have-

"Girls, we've got a problem. You need to leave," Sara almost ran in. She gave my sisters a firm stare. Bubbles and Buttercup looked to each other, then at me before leaving... I could see the worry and fear in their faces. Oh, no... What was happening?

"Sara, what's going on?" I croaked.

"No time to explain. We need to get you some blood. And fast. You're losing it too quickly," she said hurriedly, signing off of on some papers and handing them to the nurses. "This is one the rarest things that can happen to a delivering woman... They never need blood transfusion," she mumbled to herself, gnawing at her lip nervously.

"What?" I whispered. I couldn't be losing blood! What about the babies? My own health was the last thing on my mind as my thoughts centered around my kids. I didn't know them yet, but I loved them so, so much. I couldn't let anything happen to them. I needed Brick. He was strong. He was my brick, my rock that kept me together when things weren't going the way they should be. I was terrified. My breathing got faster and shallower while my head spun.

My children were the last thing I thought of before everything went black.

...

_(Omniscient POV)_

"Blossom Utonium, what room number?" Brick slammed his fists on the reception counter.

"Doesn't matter. They're not letting anyone see her right now," the redheaded nurse at reception answered as she filed her nails. Brick took a closer look at her, realizing she looked rather familiar. He was surprised when he remembered where he had seen her before.

But back to Blossom. The reply he received worried him. "I left what may be the most important lawsuit of my life to be with my girlfriend right now. Now, why can't I see her?" he narrowed his eyes.

She shrugged carelessly. After a moment, she looked up to see that he was still there, arms crossed, and she groaned. "Fine, whatever," she rolled her eyes, pulling out a file and scanning through it. "There's been some complications. They're testing her relatives for a blood match," she read off the paper.

Brick felt his heart thump in his chest. Complications? Blood match? What the hell was happening to her?

"I'm an O, that's universal donor. She can take my blood," Brick stated, swallowing. "Where is she?"

"Ugh, I'm supposed to be on a break," the redhead in black scrubs with hot pink lining muttered as she walked out of the reception desk at the nurses station so that she was right in front of Brick. "Follow me," she motioned for him to do so as she walked towards the lab. Slyly turning around, she added flirtatiously, "I'm Berserk, by the way."

"I know. We've met," Brick said laconically.

She frowned, but continued until they reached the lab. "They're drawing blood in there," she pointed.

"Uh, thanks," Brick said sincerely. She gave him a shrug, eye-roll and a little smile before walking off. Brick entered the lab to see Bubbles and Buttercup sitting down, getting pricked by a blonde and brunette nurse who looked rather similar to them. Boomer and Butch were standing a little ways away from them, as if they were uncomfortable. They weren't hiding it well, considering they had met the two nurses under completely different circumstances not too long ago.

"Dude, what's going on?" Brick asked as he walked in.

Boomer frowned, "All we know is that Blossom needs some blood."

"Buttercup and Bubbles are closest to her genetically, so those nurses are trying to see if the girls can be donors or something," Butch added.

After pricking Bubbles and reading the device, the blonde nurse bit her lip, "We can't use her blood, Brute."

Brute cursed as she read Buttercup's report, "We can use hers either, Brat."

"Why not?" Bubbles and Buttercup exclaimed at the same time.

Brick stepped in before the nurses could answer. "I have plenty of blood. Give some of mine to her," he demanded, trying to hide the fear in his heart behind strong words. At the nurses hesitance, he barked, "What are you waiting for?"

Brick hoped he had enough to save her and the babies. He didn't know what he would do without Blossom... He loved her. He _needed _her. But he knew she was a fighter too. Blossom never gave up. He knew that she was going to be okay. He just did.

...

_(Blossom's POV)_

My eyes fluttered open after I don't even know how long. Frantically, I placed my hands on my swell, relaxing once I felt a vigorously kick. My eyes water as my mind flashes back to the last thing I remember... I was so scared for my twins, but they're okay now. I feel a calming presence beside me and slowly look over to see the person I had been waiting for.

Brick was all scrubbed up, standing next to the side of my bed. He tried to flash me his signature smirk, but it came out as a weak smile. Taking my hands into his, he whispered, "Don't ever do that to me again, Blossom."

"What... What happened?" I whispered.

"It doesn't matter," Brick shook his head. "It only matters that you're okay. And you are," he gently kissed my knuckles. Shaking his head, he added, "We were so scared..."

"Me too," I murmured. I shut my eyes to hold back tears because Brick said everything was okay now. I looked back at my boyfriend, "I love you," I whispered.

"I love you too," Brick gave me a warm smile.

I felt a sudden pang and my eyes widened, "Uh oh."

Sara walked in just at the right moment, with a redheaded nurse at her heels. "According to your contractions now... The twins are ready," Sara announced. Sara looked at me, then at Brick, then back at me. "Are you?" she asked us.

I nodded my head confidently and Brick gave my hands a reassuring squeeze.

"Alright," Sara grinned. "Then, push!"

And then I pushed harder than I ever have before in my life.

...

"Would you like to see the babies now?" the redheaded nurse, who had identified herself as Berserk, asked.

I nodded eagerly. She gave a little smile, leaving the room, and I couldn't help but look up at Brick with a huge grin. I was a nasty, filthy, sweaty mess, but in spite of that, I was positively aglow. Even my characteristically stoic boyfriend couldn't stop beaming.

"You did it," he whispered to me.

"_We _did it," I corrected him with a gentle smile. "We did it. We're parents, Brick," I said, my words effusing pride.

"Ready?" Brat (I'm finally conscious enough to question the names of my nurses. ...Seriously?) asked us as she stepped in with a pink bundle in her arms. Brute followed her with a baby wrapped in blue. She walked over to me and gently placed our son in my arms and Brat did the same with Brick and our daughter.

I couldn't stop staring at my little baby. He was beautiful. He had a head full of copper hair just like Brick and I and a strong features. His eyes fluttered open and I could see his chestnut eyes that had flecks of red. He was crying, but that was the most beautiful sound in the world right then because it signaled to me that everything was okay. He had strong little fingers and wouldn't let go, but I wasn't in any rush.

I looked over to my beautiful baby girl. Brick couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was asleep and her little lips were almost curled into a smile. She, like her older (by ten minutes) brother, had auburn locks and brownish-pinkish eyes. Her features were so delicate and I could really see myself and Brick in her. She was gorgeous.

Brick finally looked over to me, trying to catch a glimpse of his little boy and I grinned.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" I asked breathlessly.

"They take after their mother," Brick replied, smiling at me.

"And their father," I added, with a little laugh.

"Brittnee Bianca Jojo," I whispered to my little girl. "Bradley Brent Jojo," I murmured to my little boy. "We're your parents and we couldn't love you more," I kissed the top of Bradley's head. Brick angled Brittnee so that I kiss the top of hers too.

"Should we call everyone in now?" Brick asked me. I nodded, my cheeks not even starting to hurt with my smile.

One by one, all of my closest friends and family filed into the rather small hospital room. Bubbles stood beside me, gazing at her little niece and nephew lovingly while clutching Boomer, who couldn't contain his adulation, 's hand. Even Buttercup and Butch had to crack a grin at seeing the kids. Mom and Dad looked at Brad and Brittnee with so much love as did Moe, his hand wrapped around Sara's waist. Sara looked absolutely relieved that the rest of the labor went flawlessly and she glowed with pride. Robin had her hands clutched to her mouth, her eyes wide in adoration. Even tough-guy Mitch couldn't help but do the same.

I looked at Buttercup and Bubbles and my eyes watered, "I know I lost a lot of blood. Thanks so much you two," my voice cracked. I knew they were a perfect match and I probably wouldn't be alive if it weren't for them. I was so thankful.

Bubbles sent a quizzical look to Buttercup and Buttercup gave her an uncomfortable grunt.

Something wasn't right... "What happened?" I looked at them carefully, trying to make sure everything was okay.

"Well, we really wanted to. But we couldn't," Bubbles explained.

"Who...?" I didn't even have to finish the question before both of their gazes turned to Brick. Brick... He saved me? I turned to my boyfriend, "You did?" I whispered. He gave a small nod. I could only reply with a thankful smile.

Looking at all the faces around me in the room, including that of my amazing boyfriend, and then at my children, I can't help but think how lucky I am. My life has always been crazy and chaotic, but I always had so many people to help me on the way. For me, there's always been too many strings attached to everything, but it's amazing how when that giant knot called my life untangled, I got something so simple and blissful. These have most certainly been the craziest nine months of my life, but I would never trade them for anything different.

...

_(Bonus scene)_

"So, why_ didn't_ you two donate blood?" Brick asked, a smirk tugging at his lips. Something tells me he already knew. I looked at my sisters curiously.

"Well, apparently-" Buttercup started.

"WE'RE PREGNANT!" Bubbles finished for her.

"Oh my gosh!" I exclaimed, grinning.

I was ecstatic for my sisters! And it looks like I'll be an aunt soon too. Pregnancy's a crazy journey, but I'm sure they'll have a great time.

...

**BUT WAIT... THERE'S MORE!**

**Naah, there isn't a sequel or anything, but look forward to an epilogue soon!**

**Thanks so much for sticking with the story, you beautiful readers and reviewers! (:**

**(Okay, I know I didn't pick the babies' names based on the polls, but look forward to your choices appearing in the next and final chappie!)**


	12. Epilogue

**Disclaimer:** Powerpuff Girls does not belong to me. ...Duh.

**Author's Note: **Welp, folks. This is the end! I do hope you enjoy it! C:

**My Brick/Blossom Picks: **Anyone gonna miss this?

1. **Like a Korean Drama** by **amythist7** doesn't have any Reds yet, but when it does, it'll be even _more _amazing! Basically, there's a bunch of different plots intertwined to make a hilarious, cute and super awesome fic. It's well-written, captures the characters wonderfully and I personally look forward to an update of that.

2. **Let Love Down** by **fearlessgurl101** also is taking it slow on the Reds, but is an awesome fic nonetheless. It's an AU where the girls work for a crime fighting organization and are unwitting pawns in an evil master scheme. The boys have also gone undercover as high school students to ultimately destroy them, adding to the thickness of the plot. This story is action-packed, exciting and wonderfully written!

3.** Smoke and Mirrors** by **That Random Girl** is beautifully written. Blossom's engaged to Dexter, but she really loves Brick. The characters are portrayed so exquisitely and the plot keeps you on the edge of you seat. It's down right juicy and I love it. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Special Mention: **Idiosyncrasy** by **SeBriar** isn't completely Reds, but it's got a bunch of really great Brick/Blossom drabbles. They're all very well-written and super duper cute! So check 'em out! The author even takes prompt requests. I highly recommend it.

Now, the final installation of this fanfiction...

...

_Exactly 5 years later..._

...

Gingerly, I removed the warm blankets from myself and I stood up, raising my arms up to stretch. I didn't need to look over to the other side of the bed to see that it was empty and that my husband was downstairs. Even from the third floor, I could hear the raucous cries of him, his brothers and the kids in the kitchen. I smiled to myself. Saturday mornings were the best. No one had to work or go to school and we could spend the day as one big, happy family. I loved work and saving people and carpooling with Brick every morning, but I loved spending time with my family too.

My thoughts were cut short by a sharp wailing from the next room as my eyes shot open. I grabbed my pink silk robe to cover my lacy mid-thigh nightgown and reached for a hairband to secure my long auburn locks in a messy ponytail. I dashed out of my room and into the pink nursery next door where I was greeted with the sounds of my youngest daughter, Bella, crying. I went over to her mahogany wood crib and scooped her into my arms. Her cries started to abate as I held her tenderly to my chest.

"Shh, baby," I whispered, my lips turning into a warm smile, "Mommy's here. Don't cry," I said soothingly.

I ran a hand through her soft, copper (rather long for an infant) hair as I admired her soft features. She resembled her father so much. She really was beautiful. I sat down in the plush pink armchair beside the crib and adjusted myself so that Bella could reach satiation. Untying my robe and unhooking my bra cup from its strap, I offered sustenance that my daughter greedily latched onto. Her cries became whimpers and as she continued to feed, I rocked her gently.

I would look down at Bella every now and then to make sure she was alright, but I let my thoughts drift off. Looking down at my 10-carat pink diamond ring, I couldn't help but think about my husband...

_Britt, in a coral dress with a scarlet sash, tottered down the snow white aisle, sprinkling red and pink rose petals as she went. Trailing behind her, Brad, clad in black slacks, a white collared shirt and a red tie, held tightly onto a small black box as he looked around the beautifully decorated church hall in awe. The music wound down as Britt joined the side of her aunts, Bubbles and Buttercup, in identical dresses, and as Brad approached his uncles and father dressed in similar suits._

_Brick looked absolutely breathtaking in his crisp black tuxedo and red vest. His shaggy hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail and his crimson eyes glittered with happiness. He gave his two-year-old daughter standing across the altar a grin and placed a warm hand on his young son standing beside him. _

_The bridal music started and I linked hands with my father, who even in his fifties, shone with a warmth he had for as long as I could remember. I ran one last hand down my strapless ivory dress with a pink sash and pink sparkles down the dress and train, one last hand to my sheer veil. Dad placed his hand on mine and gave me a kind smile, whispering, "You look beautiful, Blossom."_

_I blushed, beaming at him, as he began to walk me down the aisle. I looked over to the end where my two babies gazed at me lovingly and then to my soon-to-be husband who couldn't hide his delight at seeing me. I grinned at Britt and Brad and finally at Brick until I had reached the altar. Dad let go of my hand as I joined the love of my life in a moment that I would always remember. _

_Brad grinned at me and Britt clasped my hand, and beamed. "I lowe you, Mommy," she giggled before the ceremony started._

_"I love you too," I whispered back to her, looking at Brad to let him know that I was talking to him as well. _

_The priest cleared his throat to signal that he was ready to start, so I looked back up. Brick had on his signature smirk and I gave him a big smile._

_"We are gathered here today..."_

Bella hiccuped, bringing me back to reality. I released her from my breast to lay her head on my shoulder, so I could burp her. Gingerly patting her on the back, I stood up, maneuvered myself so that I could slip back into my robe and flipping off the lights, I stepped out of the room. Bella still in my arms, I walked down our elegant spiral staircase to the first floor where the rest of my family was. I entered the foyer and placing a kiss on my Bella's forehead, I placed her into her little play area.

Taking a breath in, I walked into the kitchen next door to be bombarded with a variety of sights, sounds and smells that were completely_ not_ out of the ordinary. I saw my redheaded husband flipping pancakes at the stove and even in black sweats and a red t-shirt, he looked quite attractive. I couldn't resist sneaking up on him with a kiss.

Brick smirked at me, "Sleep well?"

"Of course," I grinned back at him.

"And Bella?" he flipped his attention between me and the golden brown pancake that was in the air.

"She's great," I replied, hopping up on the counter so that I was at eye-level with him. Inhaling, I commented, "That smells delicious."

"It always does," Brick replied smugly, flipping the chocolate chip pancake onto a plate and handing it to me. Cooking was one of his many hidden talents and taking a bite into the yummy pancake, I couldn't have been more grateful. I gave Brick a quick kiss before walking to the other side of the large kitchen and kneeling down at the low kids' table to meet my twins.

"Mommy!" they cried at the same time and engulfed me in a warm hug.

"Happy birthday, you two," I wrapped my arms around them. Brad grinned and Britt giggled. "Excited for our party tonight?"

Britt nodded her head, "Mommy, I'm _five _now!" she exclaimed, as if it was the greatest accomplishment she'd ever achieve.

Holding up five fingers in the air, Brad added, "That means we're big kids!"

I laughed, tickling my little kids, "I know." No matter what they said, they would _always _be my little babies. I let go of them so that they could finish their breakfast, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the beautiful people they were becoming. On the inside and out.

"Good morning, Ben," I finally shifted my eyes to my nephew. His golden hair and azure eyes shone in the sunlight that was peeking through the windows. He was undoubtedly Bubbles' son. Benjamin was the oldest Bubbles had and, for a four-year-old, he was the looker.

"Morning, Auntie Blossom!" he replied, heartily eating his pancake.

"What'd we miss?" I heard a familiar male voice ask as he stepped into the kitchen.

The blond walked up to the kids table and crouched down to let the two-year-old in his arms hop out. The little girl took a seat between her brother, Ben, and her cousin, Britt, and I gave her a warm smile. If I didn't know any better, I would've mistaken the little blonde for an angel. Her soft, sandy locks framed her porcelain face perfectly and her big sapphire eyes gleamed with innocence.

"Well?" Boomer asked. Like his brother, he too was still in pajamas- blue plaid pants and a white tee.

"Not much. Just my world famous pancakes," Brick replied. I didn't have to turn around to know that he was smirking.

"You'we making mowe of those wight, Uncle Bwick?" the young blonde asked pleadingly, her eyes wide as dinner plates.

"Well, I guess I can. For you, Brianna," Brick chuckled, winking at his niece. She giggled and grinned. They were too cute.

"I can't wait for the pawty tonight!" Brianna turned towards Brad and Britt. "I have a pwetty dress and I picked out your pwesents!" she clapped. Britt soon became absorbed in conversation with her as Brad turned his attention to Brianna's older brother, Ben.

So, Brick and Boomer were here. So were Brad and Britt and Ben and Brianna. But then, where was-

"OH MY GOD, GIVE IT TO ME!"

Okay, yup, that answers it. I could hear them running into the kitchen.

"No way! I had it first!" Butch blew a raspberry as he dashed into the room. Buttercup was hot on his trail and tucking the end of green tank into her black pajama pants, she hopped onto Butch's back and locked herself in piggy-back position.

"Sure about that?" she grappled for the coveted object.

"Let go of me, woman!" Butch cried, clutching it, "It's _my _whipped cream!"

"I'll whip your cream if you don't hand it over!" Buttercup replied ferociously.

"Whip cream!" a mini-Butch exclaimed as he ran into the room, his arms in the air.

"Whip cream!" a mini-Buttercup yelled, right behind her brother, jumping up and down with ebullience.

"_Whip cream_!" another mini-Butch finished, slamming into his siblings as he entered the kitchen.

"Okay, okay," I stepped in as moderator. Making my over to the refrigerator, "There's more than one can, you know," I said as I pulled out two cool-whip cans and handed them to my niece and nephews.

"...Oh," Buttercup finished lamely as she hopped off Butch's back. She dusted herself off and grabbed a pancake, "Tshamks Vloss," she said in between bites. I sent her a simper.

Butch rolled his eyes playfully at Buttercup and she stuck her tongue out at him. He dusted himself off, as if Buttercup had destroyed his loose green tee and black basketball shorts. The three four-year-olds who were the splitting image of him climbed on top of their father and each grabbed a pancake.

"Here's some for you, Brandon," Butch declared dramatically as he sprayed some whipped cream onto the first's pancake. "And for you, Blaire," he said, doing the same to the second's. "And last, but not least, you, Brian," he finished the can. Giving it a final shake, he tossed the can into the trash and grabbed some breakfast of his own.

"Thanks, Daddy!" the three cried at the same time.

Yes, Buttercup and Butch had triplets. Hey, It bound to happen to one of us. Buttercup had two boys, Brandon and Brian and a girl, Blaire. Our family just runs in threes, apparently. I had twins and a single, Buttercup had triplets and Bubbles had two singles and was on her way to another.

Speaking of Bubbles... Where was she? I slowly stood up and giving my kids a quick pat on the back, grabbed a cup of coffee and stepped out of the boisterous kitchen. Wrapping my fingers around the piping hot caffeine, I peeked my head into the foyer to check on Bella and found my other sister there.

"Morning, Bloss," Bubbles grinned at me from the couch she was sitting on. Her hand rested on her large belly and she glowed with pre-partum pride. Our mother-in-law and favorite gynecologist and obstetrician, Sara Jojo, was right beside her, rolling her portable ultrasound around Bubbles' future child.

"Morning, Bubs," I made my way to sit beside her. I turned towards Sara, "Morning, Sara."

"Hello, Blossom," the beautiful redhead beamed at me, "How are you? And Bella?"

"We're doing great!" I replied. Glancing at my blonde sister, I asked, "How's my future niece or nephew?"

"Wonderful," Sara answered. Bubbles squealed, clutching her hands together. "Are you excited? There's only a few months left now," she said to Bubbles as she began packing her equipment.

"Very excited," Bubbles clarified. "Especially since this is my last one."

"Oh, really?" Sara raised an eyebrow. "Does that mean you six won't need me anymore?" she asked with a small smile. We might not be having any more pregnancies and babies, but Sara had become a large part of our lives and we would always need her.

"Don't be silly, Sara," I shook my head, "We'll still need you around here," I chuckled. That reminded me... "Will we be seeing you at the twins' party tonight?"

"Plan on it!" Sara exclaimed, grinning. "I can't believe they're five already. My, how time flies."

Bubbles nodded in agreement, "I feel like it was just yesterday when I found out I was pregnant for the first time... I love my kids," she beamed. Letting out a big sigh, she added, "But I don't know how Daddy did it with us, but three's _a lot_."

"It is," I agreed. "But it's absolutely worth it."

And it was. It really was.

I wouldn't change my life a bit. I loved my sisters and my husband and my children and my one big happy family. It might be a lot of work, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

...

**I love how perfect this is for Father's Day. Tee hee, Happy Daddy's Day to y'all out there! **

**This was really a fun fic and I had a blast writing it. This is the longest fic I've ever written by far and I owe a lot of it to my reviewers who kept me going. You all have been too kind with your reviews and faves, so thanks so much! I'm just really happy so many people have enjoyed this story. **

**I'm kinda sad to see this story go, but I've got a few ideas for another... So keep an eye out for it! **


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